DENVER — Ike Davis might be struggling, but manager Terry Collins wants to make it clear: The Mets aren’t considering a platoon at first base.
A night after Zach Lutz got the start at first base to give the Mets an extra right-handed bat, Davis was back in the lineup against the Rockies, and will remain in the lineup for the foreseeable future — even against lefties — according to Collins.
Davis entered play batting only .132 with three homers and seven RBIs. He had struck out 12 times in 28 at-bats with runners in scoring position, leading the major leagues in that category.
Collins said Davis’ slump has been a prime topic of conversation in his daily coaches’ meetings.
“Ike Davis is going to play,” Collins said. “We’ve got to get this guy going, and not playing is not helping him, so we’re getting him in there.”
* Chris Schwinden is scheduled to pitch Wednesday in Houston despite stumbling in his season debut on Friday, when he allowed six runs, five earned, over four-plus innings. …
Collins said he came close to using outfielder Mike Baxter to pitch the ninth inning Friday night with the Mets trailing 18-9. Baxter was on call to be the next pitcher behind Bobby Parnell, but the manager changed his plan at the last minute and decided to use Tim Byrdak. But that message wasn’t conveyed to Baxter, who began running in from left field toward the mound when he saw Collins on the field to make a pitching change. Baxter got to the infield and turned back when he realized Byrdak was entering.
* Johan Santana will be tested on four days’ rest for the first time this season when he faces the Rockies in today’s series finale. Over his first four starts, Santana has worked on extra rest, an early precaution in his return from surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder. …
Collins says he was not offended by Dexter Fowler’s bat flip and pose as his shot cleared the fence in Friday night’s fifth inning.
“That stuff is all part of the game today,” Collins said. “This isn’t 20 years ago when guys took offense to stuff like that. I’ve seen games here in the past where guys have hit homers and flipped the bat at home plate. They hit them so far here you might want to look at them.”