After undergoing surgery for a herniated disc in his neck on June 16, New York Mets third baseman David Wright admits that it’s unlikely he will play again this season.
Visiting his teammates at Citi Field before the Mets defeated the Cubs in a 10-2 blowout, Wright spoke to the media, including ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin , about his recovery.
“I’m going to be out for an extended period of time…. But I plan on coming back and being the player that I feel like I’m capable of being. We shall see,” Wright said before adding that he had a “significant disk rupture” in his neck.
#DavidWright spoke about his surgery. Hear from the Captain >> https://t.co/EFOkrLOX1L pic.twitter.com/MsPSNUBlCD
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 2, 2016
Before the injury, Wright, 33, was batting 0.226/0.350/0.438 with seven home runs and 14 runs batted in. He also struggled to make consistent contact as the Mets’ captain racked up 55 strikeouts in his 37 games — one less game than he played during his injury-plagued 2015 campaign.
Injuries are nothing new to Wright as he’s missed significant time with injuries every year since the 2011 season. Last season, he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal. The condition does not have a cure and will have to be managed for the rest of his career and life.
When he was healthy, Wright was given periodic days off so that his balky back did not flare up. But when the neck injury popped up and he underwent surgery, Wright could tell that this time was a lot more serious.
“The sense of urgency for this in the doctor’s voice was much greater than the sense of urgency when I talked to him about my back last year.”
Wright will not partake in any baseball-related activities for three months as he recovers from the surgery. In the meantime, the Mets have searched for replacements at third base, leading to former fan-favorite Jose Reyes — who was suspended for 52 games due to an offseason domestic violence issue and released by the Rockies recently — was signed. After spending the last six days in the minors, Reyes will likely be called up shortly.
David Wright: Jose Reyes’ actions were “horrible,” happy that he’s been given another chance https://t.co/v3JvSJoxUA pic.twitter.com/mIMV35iSDs
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 2, 2016
Wright and Reyes were the Mets’ cornerstone infielders for several years before Reyes departed in free agency following the 2011 season. Now, Reyes is essentially replacing Wright while “Captain America” recovers from surgery. While Wright condemned Reyes’ actions in the alleged domestic dispute, he supports the person he calls a close friend.
“I feel like what he did was awful, terrible. There’s just no other way around it. With that being said, in my eyes, he’s done what he could do to earn a second chance. If he’s going to be given a second chance, I think this is a good place for it. I think he’s comfortable here. This is home for him. I can’t say it enough: What he did is something that is horrible and should never be done. So I hope that he’s learned his lesson. In everything he said, it seems like he’s acknowledged the great mistake that it was and that he’s not going to let it happen again, and I hope that’s correct.”
Moving forward, Wright promised that he will make a comeback and be healthy — likely for the 2017 season. Until then, he’s focused on resolving his health problems so he can enjoy a comfortable post-baseball life.
“I love the game of baseball. I can’t wait to get back out there. But the most important thing for me now is my health and trying to get my neck healed, because if I go and do something that I’m not supposed to, we’re not talking about baseball,” Wright said with a bandage on his neck, marking the wound of his surgery. “We’re talking about something that’s going to affect me later in life.”
[Featured Photo by Elsa/Getty Images]