JORDAN-CHRISTOPHER PURVIS
Special to The Leader
Longtime Mets third baseman David Wright announces his retirement from professional baseball during a press conference held with teammates, coaching staff and media. Wright addressed the crowd that he will return at third base for the final homestand series against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 29, and undoubtedly his final appearance in a Mets Uniform.
In the past several days, ticket sales for Wright’s final appearance at Citi Field have increased drastically. Online ticket exchange companies such as StubHub are offering tickets as low as $84 per person. The stands will most certainly be filled as fans will watch the departure of the most iconic player in Mets franchise history.
Wright, 35, hasn’t appeared in a big league game since May 27, 2016. Over the course of two and a half years, Wright has undergone various surgeries on his right shoulder, neck and lower back. However, his presence in the clubhouse has been instrumental to the younger players.
“I’ve always wanted to be on the field again to have my daughter see me play, so needless to say Sept. 29 is extremely important to me.” He later added, “ I’m certainly happy with getting a chance to put this uniform back on again. That has been my goal from day one, it’s been a long road to get to that goal.”
The larger question that stands is, does Wright deserve to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.? There is no question that since he entered the league, his impact on and off the field has made a positive difference. But had he not got injured numerous times, maybe his career could have panned out differently.
One of Wright’s memorable career moments was leading the Mets to the 2015 World Series. That marked the first time since 2000 that the Mets competed for a championship. Although the Mets won one game against the Kansas City Royals, Wright’s home run in Game 3 was a pivotal moment in his career.
The Virginia native was drafted by the New York Mets in 2001 and made his big league debut in 2004. In the span of 13 seasons, Wright has batted a .296 average with 242 home runs and 970 RBI’s.
Not to mention, Wright is the longest tenured player in Mets franchise history, as well as a seven-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glover and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner.