Duda rehab delayed by one week
WASHINGTON — A day after he was said to be near 100%, Lucas Duda had his rehab program pushed back after feeling a “twinge” in his left elbow. The first baseman felt the “slight discomfort on full extension,” of the elbow during his first rehab game on Friday.
He will not play again before Tuesday, according to Mets GM Sandy Alderson.
Duda, who was placed on the disabled list April 20 with a hyperextended left elbow, played six innings at first base Friday night and went 1-for-3.
While Duda is eligible to now come off the DL, it will be at least until the end of the week before the Mets can consider bringing him back.
WEARING IT
Third-string catcher Kevin Plawecki took the mound after Josh Smoker could not get an out in the seventh inning of the Mets’ 23-5 loss to the Nationals. After pitching a scoreless seventh, he gave up four runs on four hits, including three homers, in the eighth.
He went out and spared the bullpen.
“Those guys have been out there busting their butts, if I can go out and save them two innings, I am happy to do it,” Plawecki said. “No problem.”
Plawecki said the last time he took the mound was “probably when I was 14,” but said he was only nervous on the first pitch.
“I just didn’t want to sail it,” Plawecki said. “Other than that, I was OK.”
KEEPING CONFORTO COMFORTABLE
Terry Collins thought about moving Michael Conforto out of the leadoff spot and putting Jose Reyes back there . . . for about all of a minute Sunday. The Mets manager figured why fix something that isn’t broken.
“I kind of like what the other guy is doing at the moment,” Collins said of Conforto leading off. With shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera getting a day of rest, Collins did move the hothanded Reyes up though. “With Cabby out, I wanted to put a switch hitter behind Michael so I went with Jose,” Collins said.
Reyes was moved to the No. 2 hole after hitting down in the lineup to try to get his bat going. With a triple in the first inning, Reyes has now hit in six straight games.
Conforto did not homer Sunday, after hitting two on Saturday, but with his single in the fourth, he has gone 12-for-36 (.333) in his nine games hitting in the leadoff spot.
REED RESTS AFTER GETTING RIPPED
Addison Reed was off Sunday after two straight disturbing appearances. The Mets setup man gave up home runs on Friday and Saturday and has given up four homers in 13 appearances so far this season. He gave up four in 80 appearances last season.
“Yesterday he tried to get the ball in on (Ryan Zimmerman) and he left it on the middle of the plate. Same with the night before, just he’s not making the pitch he has to make,” Collins said. “Last year, he just didn’t miss his spots. He pitches to the corner of the plates, he uses his fastball and right now he’s getting balls in the middle of the plate.”
Pitching coach Dan Warthen is working with Reed to improve his command and try to get him back to painting the corners. It is certainly concerning to the Mets. “That is one thing we have not see him do since he has been a New York Met is see him give up home runs,” Collins said.
Home runs were an issue for Reed when he was the Diamondbacks closer in 2014. He allowed 11 in 59.1 innings pitched. GETTY