Duda adjusting to grind of season

PHILADELPHIA — Lucas Duda still is readjusting to the grind of a baseball season.

The Mets first baseman, whom manager Terry Collins had hoped to start in consecutive games this weekend, was absent from Saturday’s starting lineup because of stiffness in his legs. Duda has started consecutive games only once since returning from a stress fracture in his lower back Sept. 17.

James Loney started at first base Saturday and hit a tworun homer in the Mets’ 5-3 wild card-clinching victory over the Phillies.

“I talked to [Duda] after the game [Friday] night, and he’s another one of those guys who in the future will never bad mouth spring training,” Collins said. “He now knows what it’s about and that is trying to get into shape during the season is hard. There is no way to prepare except play and get yourself in game shape and to do it in the pennant race and all the pressures is a lot.”

Duda has a .263/.391/.368 slash line in 19 at-bats since his return.

Eric Campbell and Ty Kelly are candidates to replace injured Wilmer Flores, giving the Mets an extra righty bat for the postseason, according to Collins. The Post reported Saturday that Campbell is a consideration to start at first base should the Mets face Giants ace Madison Bumgarner in the wild-card game.

Yoenis Cespedes was ejected in the ninth inning for protesting a called third strike by plate umpire Will Little. It concluded a rough day for Cespedes, who finished 0-for-5 and grounded into two double plays.

Continuing their annual final road trip ritual, the Mets had their rookies dressed in costumes as they traveled to the ballpark. This year’s theme was the movie “A League of Their Own.”