PORT ST. LUCIE — Ruben Tejada is back on the field after suffering that terrible broken right leg as a result of Chase Utley’s late, hard slide in Game 2 of the NLDS on a defenseless Tejada.
“I’d like to see the fielder be protected,’’ Tejada told The Post of the proposed rule change — The Utley Rule — which MLB continues to move forward in an effort to protect middle infielders as it has protected catchers. “It can be very dangerous. They have to make a little bit of an adjustment there.’’
Asked if Utley has talked to him, Tejada said: “No.’’
Utley did send Tejada a gift after all that.
“He sent me a couple of things,’’ the shortstop said without disclosing the contents of the package. “But nothing has changed. I haven’t talked to him.’’
Utley re-signed with the Dodgers in December and still faces a two-game suspension. At the time of the signing, Utley said: “I made a hard, aggressive slide to break up a double play in a playoff game. It’s not fair to comment any more [until the appeal is heard].”
Tejada, 25, made it clear that he is still upset with the play.
“I know it’s part of the game, but not like that,’’ Tejada said. “I would never do that to another infielder. That is the position I play and I would never want to hurt another player that plays that position like that. It would have been different if some other position player, a corner infielder or an outfielder had done that to me, but he is an middle infielder, he should know better.’’
When the two teams meet (May 27-29) and if Utley does approach him, Tejada said, “I would hear what he has to say first before I said anything. I would like to hear an apology.’’
Tejada is just happy he is able to be able to be running around on the field again.
“I feel really good now, I started running in late December,’’ said Tejada, who has been working at Mets pre-camp.
Free agent Asdrubal Cabrera is now the Mets shortstop but Tejada, who can also play second and third, noted, “I’m going to keep working hard, you never know what is going to happen here. I want to stay focused all the time.’’
He was touched by the ovation Mets fans gave him as he hobbled onto Citi Field before Game 3 of the NLDS.
“The team and the fans really supported me,’’ Tejada said. “I’m really happy with the fans supporting me. I’m really happy with the team supporting me in that situation. It is something I will never forget.
“When I got hurt I didn’t know what to think. I could not feel my leg. Now it is so great to be back on the field moving around. I just want to play.”