Lucas Duda hasn’t played a game since May. According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, the New York Mets first baseman could well miss the rest of the 2016 season.
Duda has been shut down from baseball activities for another 30 days. "A flare up" in his back, per Sandy Alderson. All but ices his season.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) August 3, 2016
Duda was having a down year prior to his injury. His .231/.297/.431 slash numbers were all down from the .244/.352/.486 line he generated in 2015. Still, the New York first baseman had managed to slug a solid seven home runs in only 130 at-bats.
Even in a down year, Duda’s absence has made a difference for the Mets. Prior to his injury, the team was a solid 23-18 and averaged just under 3.9 runs a game. With Duda gone, New York has played at a 32-33 clip, scoring 3.6 runs a game.
Despite their struggles, the Mets are still in playoff contention. New York sits 7.5 games out of first place in the National League East, but is only a game out of the final National League Wild Card spot.
James Loney has been serviceable in Duda’s absence. Still, with this recent news, it would not be surprising to see the Mets look to add a first baseman via a post-waiver deadline deal before September 1.