Terry Collins thinks David Wright’s struggles at the plate are related to injuring his upper back/neck area making a diving tag on Houston’s Carlos Lee on April 19.

Of course, Wright was nearly fully through an 0-for-20 slump even at that point. Regardless, Wright’s average has slipped from .308 on April 14 all the way to .240.

“I do believe it has something to do with it,” Collins said about the discomfort affecting Wright's performance. “But David Wright will never make it as an excuse. He never has. He even hasn’t to me when I’ve asked him about it. It’s not an issue with him. But I happen to think there’s got to be something, because this guy is just too good a hitter to run through the streak he’s going through. But he wants to play. He says he can play with it. He’s been playing with it. He’s actually played with it. He’s just fighting through it.”

Said Wright: “We’ve played 30-something games. Probably the majority of people in here are a little banged up. It’s obviously nothing I can’t play through. I’ve learned to play through different aches and pains, so it’s really no big deal.”

Wright is among the more secretive with injury information. One year, he noticeably winced from apparent groin pain on multiple occasions while running the bases but never openly acknowledged an injury. He has been on the DL only once in his career, when he was beaned by San Francisco’s Matt Cain, and even then it was against his will.

“I don’t ever hurt,” Wright dryly said.

Collins said he did not want to be too specific on what he sees with Wright at the plate that signals to him the injury is affecting the third baseman.

“I’m handing out scouting reports,” Collins said. “I really don’t want to do that if I can help it. Let them try to see what he’s doing. But I think David will -- when this thing starts to go away, and I think it will as the weather warms up a little bit -- you’ll see the swing of old.”