Mets All-Star third baseman David Wright has been out of action since August 3rd with a strained right hamstring. Initial reports indicated that Wright would be back in the Mets lineup in 3 to 5 weeks, however Mets manager Terry Collins has recently started to expand on that prognosis.
“No question,” Collins said when asked if Wright might not return from a strained right hamstring. “There’s nothing etched in stone. We’re hoping certainly that it’s four weeks. If it’s five, it’s five. If it’s six, it’s six. If he gets back, tremendous. That means the healing process and all the rehab stuff will work. But there is absolutely no timetable at all.”
The Mets certainly have very good reason to be cautious with Wright. The 30-year-old is quite clearly the team’s best hitter and position player, and with the Mets sitting at 52-61 on the season and 17.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the National League East and 11 games back of the Cincinnati Reds for the second National League wildcard position, there is little reason to rush the superstar back into the lineup. The Mets are better off being 100% sure that Wright is healthy and ready to go for next season, rather than risking him re-aggravating the troublesome hamstring injury this year.
Wright is hitting .309/.391/.512 with 16 home runs, 54 RBIs, 60 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 105 games this season. His .904 OPS is tops amongst National League third baseman. Wright has been one of the most productive third basemen in baseball for several years now and is looking for his third career 20/20 season.
Wright was trying to play through a sore hamstring when he aggravated the injury in the 10th inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals on August 2nd.
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