Slowly but surely, it looks like the New York Mets may get their captain back at some point this season. Third baseman David Wright is going to continue his rehab assignment tonight with High-A St. Lucie, playing for the fourth time in the past five days. Wright, who started at third base and played seven innings last night, is 0 for 7 with a pair of walks over his first three rehab games. Tonight could be an important milestone for Wright, who made it through only 10 at bats in his comeback attempt last season before shutting it down due to lingering soreness in his shoulder.
The odds remain against Wright being a significant factor for the Mets ever again, but the fact that he might be able to get back to the big leagues is something to root for in a lost season. Unlike a lot of other players, Wright hasn’t mailed it in after getting diagnosed with a series of devastating injuries, instead continually working to try and earn his money the right way and get back on the field. This may simply be a matter of Wright wanting to go out on his own terms instead of being forced to retire, but he has earned the right to do that considering how much Wright has given to the franchise both on and off the field.
The most likely scenario for Wright appears to be continuing this rehab assignment for the rest of the month and potentially being activated when the rosters expand in September. A 40 man active roster would make it easier for the Mets to carry Wright at the big league level, giving him the occasional start and pinch hitting assignment without compromising manager Mickey Callaway’s ability to compete on a daily basis. There may even be some hope of a reunion game where Wright and Jose Reyes play on the same side of the infield for the first time since 2011, a cool back to the future moment in a forgettable 2018.
The fact that Wright doesn’t have a hit yet in his rehab assignment doesn’t really mean much since this is the first time he has faced live pitching in a game situation in just under a year. Wright has told the media that he isn’t concerned about results at this point, simply wanting the at bats and plays in the field to help him get used to game speed again. There is no rush to bring Wright back, and he should have plenty of rehab opportunities as long as there are no setbacks. In a year where everything has gone wrong for the Mets, getting their captain back on the field would feel right, even if just for a while.
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