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 two-run 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.