The scene last night at Citi Field was pretty amazing when David Wright stepped out of the dugout and onto the on-deck circle in the fourth inning. Nearly every fan in attendance was up on their feet and cheering for the greatest hitter ever to don a Mets uniform.
However, Wright wouldn’t come to the plate until the next inning when he led off the fifth as a pinch-hitter. For the first time since May 27, 2016, Wright came to bat against the Miami Marlins and was greeted with even more cheers and louder applause by the Flushing faithful. There were not many dry eyes in the house.
With his wife Molly and his two young daughters in the stands, and his teammates all standing by the dugout railing, an emotionally charged Wright swung at the first pitch he saw from Jose Urena, and hit a sharp grounder to third for the first out of the inning.
Of course the result didn’t matter and the fans continued their adulation with another standing ovation as a relieved but happy Wright walked back to the dugout. He said it was the only time he ever made an out and came off the field with a smile on his face.
“That first time on deck was something special,” Wright said after the game. “It really was amazing, The fan support — it really was overwhelming. Just hearing them and everything else that was going on – well it was something that I’ll always remember and never forget.”
His longtime teammate Jose Reyes was the first to greet him when he got to the dugout, as the rest of the team swarmed around him and congratulated Wright on his hard fought return to the field. The Captain was smiling ear to ear as he high-fived and hugged it out with each of his teammates.
“He looked like he was making his Major League debut,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “I think that he was excited and nervous so it was a really cool moment.”
“We obviously have missed him for the last couple of years. We missed his leadership and ability to go out there and play the game right. Every organization misses their captain so there’s a little sadness. But we’re glad that all of his hard work paid off and that he could show the fans what he represents one more time.”
Tonight will be even more special and emotional as David Wright will likely be playing his final game as a New York Met. The seven-time All Star is expected to take the field at third base with his longtime double-play partner Jose Reyes patrolling shortstop. “It’s going to be like Old Timers’ Day around here,” Wright joked to reporters.
Mickey Callaway plans to bat Reyes in the leadoff spot while Wright will bat third for the 867th time in his career. He’s produced a .293/.376/,476 batting line out of the three-spot with 216 doubles, 123 home runs, 511 RBI and 106 stolen bases. He’s expected to see a couple of at-bats before being ceremoniously taken out by Callaway later in the game.
Wright’s 2-year-old daughter, Olivia Shea, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to her grandfather and Wright’s dad, Rhon – a police officer in the Norfolk Police Department. “At least tomorrow, I can maybe take a bit of a deep breath and relax a little more,” Wright says. “But I doubt it.”
The Mets plan to show a three-and-a-half-minute tribute video before the game and then Wright is expected to join Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling in the SNY broadcast booth for an inning or two after he’s pulled from the game. There’s a lot of other cool stuff planned for after the game including a fireworks show. Additionally, many of Wright’s former teammates will be on hand including Cliff Floyd and Paul Lo Duca.
“Tomorrow is going to be surreal for me, to run on the field,” Wright said. “A hit wouldn’t hurt, but my expectations are low. I’ll be smiling tomorrow night, hits or outs.”
The gates will open at 4:30 p.m. so fans can watch David Wright and the Mets take batting practice. The game will be simulcast on both SNY and PIX11. It should be a memorable evening to be sure…
As most of you know, Wright holds the franchise record for hits (1,777), RBI (970), runs scored (949), doubles (390), total bases (2,945), extra-base hits (658), walks (761) and go-ahead homers (87).
But more than just stats, Wright has been such a class act and he always wore his Mets uniform with such pride and integrity. The bonds and emotional connections he made with fans and teammates alike were far reaching and deeply rooted. I’m gonna miss him so much. Enjoy your big day, David, we love you.
