According to Kevin Kernan of the NY Post, David Wright is expected to play a minor league game Monday in Port St. Lucie. Wright took batting practice today and fielded ground balls at third base. If he avoids any setbacks, Wright could return sooner than anticipated in early September or late August.
August 5th
After missing most of the season with spinal stenosis, David Wright is inching closer to a return. Adam Rubin of ESPN NY reports that on Tuesday, Wright began the first of five days of consecutive baseball workouts, and the team expects him to start playing rehab games shortly afterwards.
“There’s not much more preparation I can do other than games,” Wright said. “If it was on a schedule that I made up, I’d like to do that. Ultimately it’s going to be a combined effort with doctors, trainers, physical therapists. I’m sure it’s going to be a group discussion.”
“It’s not just going to be me saying, ‘I think I’m ready,’ because I think there are going to be some things that they want to see out of me these next five days.”
Despite the severity of the injury, Mike Vorkunov of NJ.com reports that the Mets’ captain is optimistic about his recovery and his goal is to be an everyday player once he returns.
n he returns this season, he wants to be a regular in the Mets lineup again.
“My goal is to try to come back and be an everyday player,” Wright said. “My goal is not to come back and play every other day. My body might tell me I need a blow a little more often then that but I’m planning on coming back and being an everyday player.”
“I wanna be part of the fun”
With the Mets in a heated division race with the Washington Nationals, adding Wright’s presence to the lineup would be huge. The six time All-Star is a career .298 hitter and is one of the most prolific position players in team history.
He was hitting .333 with a home run and four RBI before landing on the disabled list this season. In 134 games last year, he batted .269 and posted a career low in home runs with eight in a year marred by injuries.
Manager Terry Collins hinted the plan for Wright when he comes back is to bat him second.
“His on-base percentage is so good,” Collins said. “He can run the bases. He brings a lot to the table. You look throughout the league now and there are big-name hitters, power guys hitting second. The new thing is to get all these guys up in that spot where they can get up more.”
