After No. 5 Retired, Mets Great David Wright Names Who Could Be Next Captains
"I love Brandon Nimmo," Wright told reporters on Saturday ahead of the team's game against the Cincinnati Reds. "I tell my son all the time, 'That's how you should play the game."
"And I love Francisco Lindor. I've gotten to know him over the last couple of years. I recently found out that he played hurt at the end of the season with a hand injury, and nobody knew about it. He never said anything because he wanted to be out there grinding it out with his guys."
Wright reflected on the honor bestowed onto him by the only club he ever played for, nearly 21 years after his big league debut.
"I went straight from the airport to the ballpark and I couldn't wait to see what number I was going to be," Wright said at a press conference Saturday. "That spring I was 72, and I would have been perfectly happy with 72. "But later on I found out that Charlie Samuels, the old equipment guy, gave me 5 because of Brooks Robinson and George Brett."
Wright, who debuted against the Montreal Expos on July 21, 2004, appeared to be on track to join Robinson and Brett as a Hall of Fame third baseman when he hit .301 with 222 homers, 876 RBIs and an .888 OPS through his first 10 seasons.
But Wright played just 211 more games while battling chronic back, shoulder and neck injuries as well as a diagnosis of spinal stenosis. He went more than two years between big league appearances before concluding his career with a pair of cameos in September 2018.
"There was nothing that I could do to do the thing anymore," Wright said. "It took a while for my brain and my heart to kind of match up with that. But I think that very, very few athletes get the ending that they want — that storybook ending. I certainly wouldn't call mine a storybook ending, but it's better than 99% of what athletes get and I'll forever be thankful for getting that opportunity."
Wright, the Mets' most recent captain and the only player in team history to have his number retired after spending his entire career with the club, expressed his gratitude throughout a speech that capped a half-hour ceremony on Saturday emceed by broadcaster Howie Rose.
Wright, emerging from the third base side of Citi Field, walked to a gold-plated third base, stood atop the bag and blew kisses to the sellout crowd. In an appropriate Mets touch, a plane taking off from nearby LaGuardia ascended into view moments after his No. 5 was unveiled high above the left field seats.
The 42-year-old married father of three, praised throughout his career for his ability to connect with stars and everyday people alike as well as his appreciation of Mets history, mentioned late media relations executive Shannon Dalton Forde and late team photographer Marc Levine during his press conference.
Near the end of his speech, he also thanked the Wilpon family, who owned the team his entire career.
"If you would have told a young David Wright to close his eyes and imagine this day, I would have said you're crazy, no way, impossible," said Wright, a Virginia native who grew up rooting for the Mets while attending their Triple-A games in Tidewater. "And then I would have went out in my backyard in Virginia and hit off a homemade tee with balls that were falling apart at the seams until it got dark outside to prove you right.
"Thank you so much for allowing me to live out my dream in front of you each night. I love you so much. Let's go Mets."
Wright is the 35th member of the Mets' Hall of Fame and the 11th individual to have his number retired, joining managers Casey Stengel and Gil Hodges as well as Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza, Jerry Koosman, Keith Hernandez, Willie Mays, Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden as well as Jackie Robinson, whose No. 42 is retired throughout Major League Baseball.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
11 minutes ago
- New York Post
Mets' first pitch turns into WWE melee at Citi Field in funny scene
Tiffany Stratton's attempt at first pitch redemption at Cit Field was interrupted on Monday night by a WWE rival in a funny moment involving Stratton, Nia Jax and Mr. and Mrs. Met donned in wrestling costumes. Stratton had thrown out the first pitch last month ahead of a Mets-Nationals game when she sent her first pitch attempt sailing far to the right of Mets outfielder Jared Young. Back to try her hand at it again on WWE Night, Stratton was interrupted by Nia Jax, who walked out onto the field as Stratton was about to throw and stole the ball from her. The two pushed and shoved each other – in a similar fashion you would see on a WWE broadcast – as Mr. and Mr. Met ran out to break up the two wrestlers. 6 Tiffany Stratton (L) struggles and fights with Nia Jax (R) in a scuffle before the game when Stratton planned to throw out the ceremonial first pitch when the New York Mets played the Los Angeles Angels Monday, July 21, 2025 at Citi Field in Queens, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post 6 Tiffany Stratton pushed Nia Jax on the mound at Citi Field. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 6 Mister and Mrs. Met try to break it up when WWE Womens World Champion Tiffany Stratton struggled and fought with Nia Jax in a scuffle before the game when Stratton planned to throw out the ceremonial first pitch when the New York Mets played the Los Angeles Angels. Robert Sabo for NY Post Jax taunted Stratton with the ball as Mr. Met tried to usher the WWE star off the field. Mrs. Met walked off the field with Stratton with her arm around the WWE Women's Champion. 6 Mrs. Met holds off Tiffany Stratton from Nia Jax in a scuffle to throw the first pitch. Robert Sabo for NY Post 6 Mister and Mrs. Met try to break it up when WWE Womens World Champion Tiffany Stratton struggled and fought with Nia Jax. Robert Sabo for NY Post 6 Nia Jax taught with the baseball after a fight with Tiffany Stratton. Robert Sabo for NY Post Both Mets mascots dressed up for the occasion to look like wrestlers themselves and the Mets changed the headshots that appeared on the stadium videoboard for player at bats. The player headshots were given WWE themes, with Juan Soto's face being super imposed on The Undertaker's body. WWE Night came a little less than two weeks before SummerSlam takes over MetLife Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 3. Stratton will be wrestling to retain her WWE Women's Championship belt as part of the two-night SummerSlam festivities.
New York Post
41 minutes ago
- New York Post
David Stearns has a distinct plan for the Mets' trade deadline
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free Sometimes top executives of teams publicly skirt around their trade-deadline plans. Often they do not want to be pinned down, cognizant that by telegraphing their plans, fans and media can then evaluate whether those plans were properly executed. Some do not want to tell reporters what their team needs to spare the feelings and the scrutiny of the players who could soon be replaced. Advertisement Speaking 10 days before the trade deadline, though, David Stearns was pretty forthright: Bullpen help is needed and likely on the way. 'We've been hit with injuries in the pitching staff, I think specifically the bullpen. And so we will be active there,' the Mets president of baseball operations said Monday. 'I think providing our group some reinforcements in the bullpen would be great.' The Mets bullpen was the team's strength for the first few months of the season, when it was leaned upon heavily and responded. Advertisement Likely in part because of that overuse, the group has suffered from injury and ineffectiveness since. Three members of the Opening Day bullpen — A.J. Minter, Danny Young and Max Kranick — are gone for the season with elbow surgeries. So is 2024 revelation Dedniel Núñez. José Buttó remains out with an illness. 3 Mets GM David Stearns is ready to get the Mets some bullpen help. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Since the start of June, the Mets bullpen entered play having logged the fifth-most innings in the majors while posting the fourth-worst ERA (5.26). The team's overall downslope has reflected its bullpen's slide. Advertisement 'There are generally relievers traded at the deadline, and so I'm sure there will be some this [deadline] as well,' Stearns said before the Mets opened a series at Citi Field against the Angels. 'I think we'll be involved in that.' Virtually every contender (or near contender) will join Stearns in searching for relief help, though the reliever market is far more plentiful than the markets for starting pitchers or impact bats. 3 Orioles pitcher Felix Bautista (74) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Perhaps Stearns can seek a powerful setup arm for Edwin Díaz and pull off a swap for Orioles star Félix Bautista. He can try to raid the hovering-around-.500 Twins, who could dangle Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax. There is little reason for the Pirates to hold onto David Bednar. Advertisement Stearns said there are trade conversations going on across the league right now, but there are 'still a number of teams' trying to decide whether to buy or sell. He thought the market would clarify within the next week. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS If the Mets — whose rotation is healthy but not yet built up and who theoretically could try to upgrade in center field and/or third base — come away from the deadline with solely a reliever or two, there would be some fans complaining about a lack of a splash. 3 Griffin Jax #22 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays. Getty Images 'I try not to look at it as the size of the splash,' said Stearns, whose first July with the Mets — which netted Jesse Winker, Paul Blackburn, Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek, Huascar Brazobán and Tyler Zuber — was not splashy. 'I think that can get a little dangerous this time of year. … I think we try to look at it as, like: How good is the player coming back? And how does that particular player fit the team needs? 'I also don't know how many big, splash players are actually being traded this deadline.' Those 'splash players' are more commonly found at bat (such as Diamondbacks slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez) or in a rotation (perhaps Sandy Alcantara or Seth Lugo). In both areas, Stearns expressed contentment with the club's current players. Advertisement 'I look at our position-player grouping, and for the most part, I'm pretty pleased with where we are,' said Stearns, who added that Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio — who have shared third base with Mark Vientos — have 'taken a step forward.' Stearns allowed that the Mets have received little offensively in center field, where Tyrone Taylor has played well defensively but barely hit. But Stearns values Taylor's glove and cited Jeff McNeil's growing ability in center, which has minimized urgency to upgrade at the spot. Delivering insights on all things Amazin's Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Advertisement 'For me at least, the bar to improve center field has probably risen over the past let's say two weeks because of Jeff's comfort level out there,' said Stearns, who was similarly optimistic about the club's current rotation. Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea are building up — slowly, particularly in the latter's case — at the major league level. Clay Holmes has not pitched six complete innings in any of his past seven starts. Frankie Montas has not pitched six innings in any of his four starts off the IL. David Peterson has been the lone horse among the group. Stearns said horses are nice, but he believes the current five has enough upside for a playoff run. 'I think we have multiple pitchers on our staff right now, in that grouping of five, who can lead a staff into a playoff series,' Stearns said. 'I'm confident of that. I'm comfortable with that.'
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Mets recall starting catcher Francisco Alvarez after he tears up Triple-A pitching
NEW YORK — After tearing up Triple-A pitching for a few weeks, catcher Francisco Alvarez was recalled Monday by the New York Mets and immediately reinserted into the starting lineup. In a somewhat surprising move, the 23-year-old Alvarez was demoted to the minors on June 22 — one day after he went 2 for 5 with a 452-foot home run late in an 11-4 victory at Philadelphia.
