Six games into the season, Travis d’Arnaud is most of the way to a dubious Mets record nobody wants. Though the young catcher is still hitless this season, manager Terry Collins said he has faith in d’Arnaud’s bat and his ability.
After going 0-for-3 in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Reds — including a seventh-inning drive to the warning track — d’Arnaud is hitless in 15 at-bats.
“I thought Travis’ ball [in the seventh] had a shot. I’m worried about his mental approach more than anything,’’ Collins said. “He came into the season as an integral part of the defense and the offense. His spot in the lineup, we’ve got to get some production out of it. He’s got to battle through it, there are no easy answers.’’
Little has come easy for d’Arnaud, who has two walks, just one run scored and six strikeouts. The Mets record for most hitless at-bats to start a season belongs to Phil Linz, 0-for-26 to start 1968.
Collins can see the slump wearing on d’Arnaud.
“We’ve had numerous discussions just to make sure he keeps his head up and continues to battle, which he will,” Collins said. “He’s a competitive guy. We’ve been happy with the way he’s caught. We just want him to relax at the plate and get it going.
“Certainly Travis is getting more frustrated, because when you talk to him you can tell. But he’s got great confidence that he can get going.’’
The 25-year-old catcher insisted as much.
“I feel good, just having that short swing and keeping my eye on the ball. They’ll start falling eventually,’’ d’Arnaud said. “I still feel pretty confident. Slowing everything down. That’s what I’ve been doing these past couple days, and I hit a few line drives, so it’s been working out.’’
He hit a hard line drive in his last at-bat Saturday, and — after grounding out to short in the second and flying to center in the fifth on Sunday — bid for a go-ahead homer in the seventh, but his drive to the track was caught by Ryan Ludwick.
“I thought I got enough of it. What can you do?” asked d’Arnaud, who threw out Brandon Phillips trying to steal in the third. But he couldn’t catch Brayan Pena in the ninth, and one batter later, his miscommunication with Ike Davis let Chris Heisley’s pop-up drop in foul territory.
“I messed that up,’’ d’Arnaud said. “I should’ve caught that ball.’’
He has dealt with slow starts before, and a lack of at-bats might contribute to that. Last year’s broken foot and a torn PCL the season before have limited him to just 104 games total since the start of 2012, suggesting what d’Arnaud needs most is time.
“He’ll be fine. He can hit,” David Wright said. “He’s hit at every level. He’s off to a slow start [but] he’s caught very well, he’s thrown some runners out, he’s called good games.
“Defensively he’s done everything we’ve asked him, and offensively he’ll come around. His track record says he’s going to hit.’’
Matt Harvey is headed to Port St. Lucie, Fla., on Monday to continue his rehab. Under his agreement with the club, Harvey can rehab in New York when the Mets are home, but will work out in Port St. Lucie during road trips.
The right-hander said it was a good bonding experience to begin the year at Citi Field with the team.
“That’s what I want,” Harvey said. “I wanted to experience that stuff and not be away from it all year. I feel strongly about coming back this year and I don’t think that’s going to change and being a part of that stuff early with those guys, I definitely was excited about all that and looking forward to getting back.”
Daniel Murphy went 0-for-4 to snap a 14-game hitting streak that dated to Sept. 19 of last season.