New York Mets vs. Kansas City Royals: World Series Bold Predictions

Lucas Duda’s Struggles Continuee

October 20, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Mets first baseman Lucas Duda (21) hits a double in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs in game four of the NLCS at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Lucas Duda had and up-and-down regular season for the Mets, and those struggles have continued through into the postseason. After hitting only .244 during the regular season, Duda is hitting only .214 through nine postseason games. He is not showing much power either, as he has only one home run in 28 postseason at-bats.

Will those struggles continue? We think yes. Duda hasn’t shown any sign that he will be breaking out of his postseason slump, and it is unlikely to come in the World Series. Duda has been a major disappointment in the middle of the Mets lineup. While he is only one of seven players to knock in a run in the postseason for the Mets, they need more from their biggest bobber in the middle of the lineup.

Duda has been a mainstay in the middle of the Mets order all season, before and after the trade deadline when they made their run. But, if he doesn’t start producing early and often, Terry Collins will have a difficult decision to make. Does he show loyalty to a player that has been there all season, or switch things up and go with someone performing better?

There aren’t many options for Collins to turn to at first base, but if Kelly Johnson shows something in Game 1 as the DH, he may be inserted into the field once the series goes to Citi Field with Murphy moving over to first base and Johnson taking over at second. There is only so long that Collins can wait for Duda to snap out of his slump.

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