Tejada day off well-deserved

WASHINGTON — Ruben Tejada has emerged as one of the brightest lights in a grim Mets season, proving capable of replacing Jose Reyes — but even the most productive players need an occasional break.

After playing in 22 straight games at shortstop, Tejada was out of the lineup Sunday. Batting .312 on the season, he entered the game at .256 (11-for43) on the road trip.

“I was looking to get Ruben a day off,” said Terry Collins. “We were talking this morning. He’s going to play all week, this coming week. We’re in one of those 15-, 16-day spans where you’re playing every day, so I was looking to get him a day off.” He did pinch-hit and flied out. The Nats frame the decision as a way to protect St ra sburg’s long-term health after 2010 Tommy John surgery, but Washington would lose its best pitcher for the stretch run and postseason.

Collins said that he supported the move. “Our game is changing,” he said. “As we know, the health of pitching is the key, and with all of the fact-finding things that are out there now, they are realizing that workload is part of the issue.

“So I certainly understand the move, the decision,” Collins added. “I think it’s hard for both Stephen and the club to shut him down. But if he’s still around, if he doesn’t have any more surgeries for the next four or five years, they’ll look back and think it’s a great decision.”