Mets first baseman Duda to begin Double-A rehab assignment Saturday

New York Mets first baseman Lucas Duda will begin a rehab assignment this weekend with a pair of games at Double-A Binghamton.

Duda, who has been sidelined due to a a small thoracic herniated disk in his back and last played on Aug. 21, will play Saturday and Sunday in Binghamton's final regular-season games.

Although he is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on Sunday, Duda took his first swings since incurring the injury on Wednesday. He has 21 homers this season after hitting a career-high 30 a year ago.

The Mets have been using a platoon of Daniel Murphy and Michael Cuddyer in place of Duda at first base, although Murphy exited Wednesday's game with a mild strain of his left quadriceps.