New York Mets captain David Wright will be activated for the team’s final homestand of the season, and will start at third base on Sept. 29, allowing him to complete an unlikely comeback to the major leagues before retiring at the end of the season.
Wright hasn’t played a major league game since May 2016, and has spent the last two years attempting to rehab after a series of injuries that required neck, back, and shoulder surgeries.
Retirement Futures
The 35-year-old third baseman announced his plans at an emotional news conference on Thursday, where he said that while he does not have any formal plans to officially retire, it would be hard to see him coming back in 2019.
“The way I feel right now and from everything the doctors have told me, there’s not going to be an improvement,” Wright said. “So, yeah, I don’t see that as a possibility.”
Before the press conference, there had been mounting speculation about exactly what the Mets planned for Wright this season. He completed a short minor league rehab stint, hitting .171 in 12 games at two different levels. Since then, he has played in simulated games while traveling with the major league team.
Some fans were concerned that the team might be holding Wright back because of the $20 million salary he is earning this year. The Mets hold an insurance policy that covers 75 percent of that salary as long as Wright can’t play, while the team would have to pay his entire salary for the time he spent on the major league roster.
Curtain Call for Mets Fans
Over the past week, as fans became frustrated with a lack of transparency about Wright’s future, signs reading “Free David Wright” began to appear at Citi Field. Finally, Thursday’s press conference gave the organization a chance to address the situation.
“David has earned the opportunity to return to the major league field,” said Mets COO Jeff Wilpon. “The decision has nothing to do with insurance or finances. It’s about David’s long-term health, his quality of life and desire to get back on the field.”
Other than an 11-1 start to the year and a historically dominant season from pitcher Jacob DeGrom, Mets fans haven’t had much to cheer this year. But Wright’s announcement grabbed the attention of New York, instantly sending the price of tickets to the Sept. 29 game against the Miami Marlins soaring.
According to a report by the New York Daily News, while the cheapest tickets for the game were available for just $5 on the secondary market on Thursday, fans had to spend at least $115 to get in the stadium to see Wright play one last time.
Despite his truncated career, David Wright holds most of the career offensive records for the Mets, including hits (1,777), runs (949), and RBI (970). He is also second in home runs with 242. The seven-time All-Star also won two Gold Glove awards for his defensive work at third base.
The Mets have a 68-78 record this year, good for fourth place in the NL East, 14 games behind the Atlanta Braves.
