David Wright (baseball)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

David Allen Wright (born December 20, 1982) is an American former professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
who played his entire 14-year
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) career for the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. He was drafted by the Mets in
2001 MLB draft The 2001 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 5 and 6. First round selections Supplemental First Round Selections Compensation Picks Background On June 1, 2001, Rolando Viera, a Cuban ba ...
and made his MLB debut on July 21, 2004 at Shea Stadium. Wright was nicknamed "
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
" after his performance in the
2013 World Baseball Classic The 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, held from March 2 to March 19, 2013. This was the third iteration of the WBC, following the two previous tournaments, held in 2006 and 2009. Unlike ...
where he led the tournament with 10 RBI and a .438 batting average. Wright is a seven-time All-Star, a two-time
Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
winner, a two-time
Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. These voters co ...
winner, and a member of the
30–30 club In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases in a single season. Ken Williams was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1922. He remained the sole member ...
. One of the most beloved players in franchise history, Wright is the Mets' all time leader in career plate appearances and holds many other franchise records for position players. He was named
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the Mets in 2013, becoming the fourth captain in the team's history. Wright is the third player after
Ed Kranepool Edward Emil Kranepool (born November 8, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player. He spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets. He was predominantly a first baseman, but he also played in the outfield ...
and
Ron Hodges Ronald Wray Hodges (born June 22, 1949) is a former catcher in Major League Baseball, who spent his entire 12-year career with the New York Mets. Hodges was originally draft (sports), drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the sixth round of the 19 ...
to play in at least 10 MLB seasons and play his entire MLB career with the Mets. Throughout the latter half of Wright's career, he was plagued by injuries, most notably
spinal stenosis Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen that results in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs. Symptoms are typically gradual in on ...
, as well as additional ailments in his neck and shoulder. After missing significant time from 2015 to 2018 and receiving word from doctors that his spinal stenosis would not improve, Wright announced that 2018 would be his final season as an active player. Wright finished his major league career with a .296 career batting average, 242 home runs, and 970 runs batted in. Upon completion of his playing career, Wright was then named a special advisor in the Mets front office.


Early life

Wright was born in
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
, the oldest of four sons of Rhon, a police officer in the
Norfolk Police Department The Norfolk Police Department (NPD) is the primary law enforcement agency servicing 242,803 people within of jurisdiction within Norfolk, Virginia. Homeland Security Division The Homeland Security Division, comprising the Harbor Patrol Unit, ...
, and Elisa Wright. Wright grew up a Mets fan due to his proximity to the Class AAA
Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...
, whose stadium was ten minutes from his home. Wright took hitting lessons alongside fellow future Major Leaguer
Michael Cuddyer Michael Brent Cuddyer (; born March 27, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, and New York Mets. He batted and threw right-han ...
in elementary school and played on teams with
Ryan Zimmerman Ryan Wallace Zimmerman (born September 28, 1984) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and third baseman who played 16 seasons for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Zimmerman graduated from Kellam High ...
, Mark Reynolds,
B.J. Upton Melvin Emanuel Upton Jr. (born August 21, 1984), known as B. J. Upton, is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Pad ...
and
Justin Upton Justin Irvin Upton (born August 25, 1987) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. Nicknamed "J-Up", he has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tig ...
during high school. Wright played baseball at Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. He committed to play
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
at
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
before his senior year of high school. As a high school senior, he had a .538
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
.


Professional career


Minor leagues

Wright was chosen by the Mets in the
2001 MLB draft The 2001 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 5 and 6. First round selections Supplemental First Round Selections Compensation Picks Background On June 1, 2001, Rolando Viera, a Cuban ba ...
during the supplemental round as compensation for the Mets' loss of
Mike Hampton Michael William Hampton, Jr. (born September 9, 1972) is an American former professional baseball player. Hampton played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a pitcher from 1993 through 2010. He pitched for the Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, New ...
to the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
in free agency. Wright was selected after future teammate
Aaron Heilman Aaron Michael Heilman (born November 12, 1978) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Heilman was drafted by the New York Mets out of Notre Dame in 2001. He came up through the Mets system as a starting pitcher, but was converted to ...
who had been selected in the first round. According to then-Mets manager
Bobby Valentine Robert John Valentine (born May 13, 1950), nicknamed "Bobby V", is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He also served as the athletic director at Sacred Heart University. Valentine played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1 ...
, Wright had caught the attention of coach Tom Robson who had actually been sent "down to Virginia to scout someone else." Wright progressed steadily in his first three years of
minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
play, winning the Sterling award for best player on the class A
St. Lucie Mets The St. Lucie Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and play their home games at Clover Park. The Mets have been members ...
in
2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
. In
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, he quickly rose from the Double-A
Binghamton Mets The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are an American Minor League Baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club. The Rumble Ponies play in Mira ...
to the Triple-A
Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...
to the major leagues.


New York Mets


2004

On July 21, 2004, Wright made his major league debut starting at third base against the
Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
. The next day, on July 22, Wright picked up his first career hit, a double, off of the
Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
' pitcher
Zach Day Stephen Zachary Day (born June 15, 1978) is a former right-handed sinker-ball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for two teams from 2002 to 2006. Career history Day graduated from La Salle High School in Cincinnati in 1996, where he pl ...
. Wright finished his rookie season with a .293 batting average, 14 home runs and 40 RBI in 263 at-bats in 69 games, and was voted as the
This Year in Baseball Awards The This Year in Baseball Awards, now called the "Esurance MLB Awards", were initiated by Major League Baseball (MLB) in . They are honors given annually to the most extraordinary baseball performances, players, managers, and executives, as voted ...
Rookie of the Year.


2005

In 2005, the 22-year-old Wright played in 160 games and batted .306 with 27 home runs, 102 RBIs, 99 runs scored, 42 doubles, and 17 stolen bases, leading the team in average, runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBI, doubles, and finishing second in home runs to
Cliff Floyd Cornelius Clifford Floyd Jr. (born December 5, 1972) is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for 17 seasons, most notably for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins and New York Mets. He is currently a baseball analyst who co-hosts ...
(34). Wright was also in the top 10 in the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
for average, hits, total bases, RBI, extra-base hits, and runs. Wright's 24 errors tied him with
Troy Glaus Troy Edward Glaus (; born August 3, 1976) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and third baseman. Glaus played in Major League Baseball with the Anaheim Angels (–), Arizona Diamondbacks (), Toronto Blue Jays (–), St. Lou ...
for the most errors by a third baseman in the major leagues. Wright made an over-the-shoulder barehanded catch during the seventh inning of a game at
Petco Park Petco Park is a baseball stadium in Downtown San Diego, California. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, and has also been used as a venue for concerts, soccer, golf, and rugby. The ballpark is located between Se ...
against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
on August 9, 2005. With one out in the inning,
Brian Giles Brian Stephen Giles (; born January 20, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. During his career he played for the Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres. The left-handed Giles was a two-time All-Star and had a ...
hit a broken-bat blooper beyond the edge of the outfield grass. Wright, retreating quickly with his back to home plate, extended his bare right hand and caught the ball cleanly while crashing to the field. Wright maintained control of the ball after landing hard on the outfield grass. The sellout crowd at Petco Park acknowledged the splendor of the catch with a standing ovation lasting several minutes. This play was voted the "This Year in Baseball Play of the Year."


2006

In 2006, Wright was named National League Co-Player of the Week for June 12–18 along with teammate José Reyes. For the month, Wright batted .327 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs. Wright also provided his share of heroics throughout the 2006 season. His first game-winning hit occurred on May 5 with a 2-out double just out of the reach of a chasing
Andruw Jones Andruw Rudolf Jones (; born April 23, 1977) is a Curaçaoan former baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Atlanta Braves. Jones also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers ...
in the bottom of the 14th inning off
Jorge Sosa Jorge Bolivar Sosa (born April 28, 1977) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Washington Nationals, and ...
to defeat the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, 8–7. Two weeks later on May 19, he hit a walk-off single off Yankees closer
Mariano Rivera Mariano Rivera (born November 29, 1969) is a Panamanian-American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, from 1995 to 2013. Nicknamed "Mo" and "Sandman", he spent most ...
that just sailed over the head of center fielder
Johnny Damon Johnny David Damon (born November 5, 1973) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2012. During his MLB career, Damon played for the Kansas City Royals (1995–2000), Oakland ...
as the Mets rallied to beat the Yankees in the first game of the 2006
Subway Series The Subway Series is a series of Major League Baseball (MLB) rivalry games played between the two teams based in New York City, the Yankees and the Mets. Previously, this applied to the Giants and Dodgers as well, before they moved out of New ...
, 7–6. He capped off the month on Memorial Day, May 29, with a single to the wall in left-center field off
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
closer
José Valverde José Rafael Valverde (born March 24, 1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets. He is nicknamed ...
scoring José Reyes from first base as the Mets defeated Arizona, 8–7. Wright also made a game-saving stop at third base of a would-be game-tying single by
Mike Lieberthal Michael Scott "Lieby" Lieberthal (born January 18, 1972) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He batted and threw right-handed. In a 14-year career, Lieberthal played for the Philadelphia Phillies (–) and the Los Angeles Dodge ...
for the final out of a 4–3 Mets victory over Philadelphia on August 5. Wright was voted on to his first MLB
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
as the starting third baseman for the NL. During the 2006 season, Wright collected 74 RBIs before the All-Star Break, breaking the Mets record previously held by Mike Piazza, who had 72 RBIs in 2000. Wright also participated in the
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
Home Run Derby, reaching the final round but finishing second to
Ryan Howard Ryan James Howard (born November 19, 1979), nicknamed "the Big Piece", is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Howard spent his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career playing for the Philadelphia Phillies, from to . He is ...
of the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. He hit 22 home runs in the contest, including 16 in the first round, the third-highest total in any one round in the history of the Home Run Derby. The following night, he hit a home run in his first
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
at-bat off American League starting pitcher
Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
. Wright ranked among the club's top three hitters in all offensive categories for the 2006 Mets, who were the second most run-scoring team in the National League. Fans at
Shea Stadium Shea Stadium (), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.Tom Glavine Thomas Michael Glavine (born March 25, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, for the Atlanta Braves (1987–2002, 2008) and New York Mets (2003–2007). With 164 victories durin ...
, "He's probably been our most clutch hitter over the first half of the season and he's certainly thrown his hat into the MVP talks." On August 6, 2006, Wright signed a 6-year contract extension with the Mets worth $55 million, as well as a $1.5 million signing bonus. The contract paid him $1 million in 2007, $5 million in 2008, $7.5 million in 2009, $10 million in 2010, $14 million in 2011, and $15 million in 2012. The contract also contained a club option for 2013 worth $16 million. Wright has already announced that he will donate $1.5 million to the Mets Foundation throughout the course of this contract. The Mets captured the NL East title in 2006 and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2000. Wright struggled in his first postseason, going 4–25 (.160) in the Mets' NLCS loss to the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
, and batting a mere .216 in 10 postseason games. Wright participated in the 2006
Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series The MLB Japan All-Star Series is an irregular end-of-the-season tour of Japan made by an All-Star team from Major League Baseball (MLB) since 1986, contested in a best-of format against the All-Stars from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) o ...
along with teammates José Reyes,
Julio Franco Julio César Franco Robles (born August 23, 1958)Franco's birth date is in question. Many of his early bios and cards have his birthday listed in 1954, and on the roster of the Quintana Roo Tigres, his birthday is listed in 1961. is a Dominica ...
, and
John Maine John Kevin Maine (born May 8, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets and Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-handed. Early life and co ...
.


2007

As of April 21, 2007, Wright had a hitting streak of 26 regular-season games; the previous team record was 24, held by
Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza ( ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1992 to 2007. He currently serves as the manager of the Italian national baseball tea ...
and
Hubie Brooks Hubert "Hubie" Brooks (born September 24, 1956) is an American former professional baseball right fielder, third baseman, and shortstop. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1980 to 1994 for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, L ...
. He had a hit in the 12 final regular-season games of the 2006 season, and had a hit in all of the first 14 games of the 2007 season. Wright's hit streak of 26 regular-season games ended on April 21, 2007, against the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium. On September 16, 2007, Wright became the 29th player in baseball history to join the
30–30 club In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases in a single season. Ken Williams was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1922. He remained the sole member ...
, after hitting a 7th inning solo home run against the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
at Shea Stadium. He is only the third player to reach this milestone before his 25th birthday, and only the third Met to reach this milestone in club history, the other two being Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry. Wright finished the 2007 season with a .325 batting average, 30 home runs, 107 RBI, and 34 stolen bases. Wright was awarded the 2007
Gold Glove The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
and the Silver Slugger Award at third base. He also was fourth in the
NL MVP The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers' ...
voting receiving 182 votes.


2008

Wright began the year with two doubles, including a bases-clearing double, in finishing 2–4 with three RBIs in the Mets' Opening Day victory over the Marlins, 7–2. With the RBIs, Wright already halfway matched his RBI production from the preceding April. In the final game of the series, Wright went 3–5 with a 3-run home run. On April 13, Wright hit his 100th career home run, a solo shot off of
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
pitcher
Jeff Suppan Jeffrey Scot Suppan (; born January 2, 1975), is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current professional baseball coach who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, ...
. Wright hit the first
walk-off home run In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning of the game and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will not ...
of his career on August 7, 2008. On November 5, 2008, Wright was announced as the recipient of the Rawlings' Gold Glove Award for third basemen. It was the second consecutive year in which Wright won the award. His teammate, Carlos Beltrán, also won the award for center fielders. He also won his second
Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. These voters co ...
. On December 22, 2008, Wright was announced as a member of Team USA in the
2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international baseball competition. It began on 5 9 and finished 5 26. Unlike in 2006, when the round-robin format of the first two rounds led to some eliminations being decided by run-difference ti ...
(WBC) to be held in March 2009. The third base position was taken by
Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
in the 2006 WBC. Wright finished seventh in the voting for the 2008 NL MVP award after finishing the season with a .302 batting average with 33 home runs and 124 RBI.


2009

Wright hit the first Mets home run in
Citi Field Citi Field is a baseball stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in New York City, United States. It opened in 2009 and is the home field of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. The stadium was built as a replacement for the adjacent ...
history on Monday, April 13, 2009, Citi Field's Opening Day. The three-run home run was hit off
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
pitcher Walter Silva in the 5th inning. In mid-August, when 10 Mets players were on the disabled list, Wright was added to the list after sustaining an injury on August 15. Wright suffered a concussion when he was hit in the head with a
fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
by
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
Matt Cain Matthew Thomas Cain (born October 1, 1984), nicknamed "The Horse", "Big Daddy", "Big Sugar" and "Cainer", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the San Francisco Giants ...
. He was admitted to the
Hospital for Special Surgery Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a hospital in New York City that specializes in orthopedic surgery and the treatment of rheumatologic conditions. Founded in 1863 by James Knight, HSS is the oldest orthopedic hospital in the United States ...
, where he underwent a precautionary CT scan, which turned out negative. The following day he left the hospital diagnosed with post-concussion symptoms. He was then placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career. Despite the injury to Wright, Mets General Manager
Omar Minaya Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez (born November 10, 1958) is a Dominican baseball executive. He was the special assistant to the general manager of the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. He previously served as general manager for the ...
stated that there were no plans to shut him down for the remainder of the season. In fact, Wright was activated from the disabled list on September 1 and started at third base against the Colorado Rockies that evening. In that game, Wright wore a new style of batting helmet (the Rawlings S100). He abandoned that helmet after wearing it in that one game. Wright explained that he found the helmet uncomfortable. "It's the last thing I need to be worrying about in the box is trying to shove it on my head. So I wanted to go back to the old one and just wait to see if there's going to be any adjustments made." Wright experienced a decline in production after a potent campaign in 2008. His home run total dropped to 10, while his RBI total fell to 72, after hitting 33 home runs and 124 RBIs the previous season.


2010

Wright, along with José Reyes, arrived at the Mets' spring training camp in Port St. Lucie, Florida two weeks early to get a head start on preparing themselves after a disappointing 2009 campaign. Wright came into camp heavier than he was in previous seasons, adding more muscle to his body. On Opening Day, Wright hit a two-run home run off of the Marlins' Josh Johnson in his first at-bat of the season. On April 27 in the second game of a doubleheader against the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
, Wright reached the 1,000 hit mark against pitcher
Ramón Troncoso Ramón Landestoy Troncoso (born February 16, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. Career Los Angeles Dodgers Troncoso signed as a ...
in the bottom of the 5th inning as he hit a two-out RBI single scoring Center Fielder
Ángel Pagán Ángel Manuel Pagán (born July 2, 1981) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants. Pagán's original contract in Major League Base ...
and giving the Mets a 4–3 lead. In the following inning, Wright hit a three-run triple to the right-center field wall, scoring Pagán, Luis Castillo, and José Reyes, and giving the Mets a 10–3 lead at the time. The Mets won the game 10–5. On May 20, he hit a three-run double after Mets manager Jerry Manuel gave Wright a day off. By June 25, Wright had 12 home runs, which led the team, and was batting .294 with 57 RBIs to lead the N.L. On July 4, 2010, Wright was named the starting third baseman for the National League in the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, making it Wright's fifth consecutive All-Star Game appearance. On July 6, Wright was named the June 2010 National League Player of the Month after he hit .404 with 11 doubles, 6 home runs, and 29 RBIs. On July 13, 2010, Wright collected 2 hits and a stolen base in the 81st All-Star Game in Anaheim, bringing him to 6-for-13 in All-Star Game at-bats and tying him for fifth all-time in All-Star Game batting average. As of August 20, he more than doubled his home run total from 2009. Wright finished the 2010 season with a .283 batting average, .354 on-base percentage, 29 home runs, 103 RBIs, 69 walks, and 19 stolen bases.


2011

On April 5, 2011, Wright singled against the Phillies' Cole Hamels for his 90th career game-winning RBI, surpassing Mike Piazza for the most in Mets history. Then on May 16, 2011, after undergoing examination by team doctors, it was announced Wright had a
stress Stress may refer to: Science and medicine * Stress (biology), an organism's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition * Stress (linguistics), relative emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in a word, or to a word in a phrase ...
fracture Fracture is the separation of an object or material into two or more pieces under the action of stress. The fracture of a solid usually occurs due to the development of certain displacement discontinuity surfaces within the solid. If a displa ...
in his lower back. The injury (caused by a diving tag on the Astros' Carlos Lee) forced him to spend more than two months on the
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
. Wright was activated from the DL on July 22, 2011. That day, he went 2-for-5 and had two RBIs and scored two runs against the
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
. In his first series coming back from the DL, Wright hit 6-for-14, with one home run, three doubles and six RBIs. Wright enjoyed a career first on August 7, 2011, against the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, playing
shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
for the first time in his professional career due to injuries to José Reyes (hamstring) and Daniel Murphy (MCL). In only 102 games, Wright finished the season with a .254 batting average, .345 on-base percentage, 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, 52 walks, and 13 stolen bases.


2012

On April 5, Wright went 2-for-3 with a walk on as the Mets' Opening Day third-baseman against the Braves, where Wright drove in Andrés Torres with a single for the game-winning run in the 6th inning off of
Tommy Hanson Thomas J. Hanson Jr. (August 28, 1986 November 9, 2015) was an American professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Hanson made his MLB debut with Atlanta on ...
, giving the Mets the 1–0 win. Less than a week later, on April 11, Wright
fracture Fracture is the separation of an object or material into two or more pieces under the action of stress. The fracture of a solid usually occurs due to the development of certain displacement discontinuity surfaces within the solid. If a displa ...
d his right pinkie while diving into first base on a pick-off attempt. After missing just three games, Wright returned to the lineup, going 3-for-5 against the
Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citize ...
. Then on April 25, Wright hit a two-run home run in a 5–1 victory against the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
, giving him 735 career RBIs, passing
Darryl Strawberry Darryl Eugene Strawberry (born March 12, 1962) is an American former professional baseball right fielder and author who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Throughout his career, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in th ...
for the most in Mets franchise history. Wright broke another franchise record on June 5, when he hit a solo-shot off of
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
pitcher
Jordan Zimmermann Jordan M. Zimmermann (born May 23, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers, and Milwaukee Brewers. Zimmermann was a two-time MLB All-Star, an ...
, driving himself in and reaching 736 runs. The previous record-holder was José Reyes at 735 runs. On July 1, it was announced that Wright had made his 6th All-Star team, but as a backup to
Pablo Sandoval Pablo Emilio Sandoval Reyes (born August 11, 1986) is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball third baseman for the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, ...
. Wright led the All-Star vote for most of the year but was overtaken in the last week of voting. For the first half of the season, Wright was either atop or close to the top of the league in both batting average and on-base percentage, and led NL third basemen in average, OBP, slugging, hits and runs scored. After the All-Star break, the Mets had their worst stretch to that point in the season, losing six straight, but on July 19, Wright hit two home runs and had five RBIs to help the Mets end their losing streak. He hit his 200th career home run in a loss on August 24 to the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
. On September 25, 2012, Wright tied the all time hit record with the Mets
Ed Kranepool Edward Emil Kranepool (born November 8, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player. He spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets. He was predominantly a first baseman, but he also played in the outfield ...
with 1,418 hits in a game at home against the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
. Then on September 26, 2012, Wright surpassed Kranepool as Mets all-time hit record holder with an infield single also at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wright finished 6th in the voting for the 2012 NL MVP Award.


Contract extension

On November 30, 2012, Ed Coleman and WFAN reported that Wright and the Mets agreed to a 7-year contract extension worth $138 million (7 years for $122 million plus a club option for $16 million that the club picked up for the 2013 season). The contract became official on December 4 after Wright passed a physical. Wright was represented in negotiations by Seth Levinson and Sam Levinson of ACES Inc. Wright's $138 million deal was contrary to the Mets budget-conscious policy of not giving huge contracts to players in their 30s; nonetheless general manager
Sandy Alderson Richard Lynn "Sandy" Alderson (born November 22, 1947) is an American baseball executive. He is currently the president of the New York Mets. He previously served as the general manager of the New York Mets from 2011 to 2018, an executive in the O ...
made an exception as he viewed Wright as a leader and role model, both on and off the field. At the same time, many agents and front-office executives suggested that had Wright waited a year and became a free agent, he could have received a deal close to $200 million. Although it had been six years since the Mets' last playoff appearance and four years since their last winning season, Alderson managed to persuade Wright to stay as the Mets' farm system had young talented pitchers. Wright's contract had deferments which would be paid out through 2025. The Mets obtained injury insurance on the contract which kicked in after he missed 60 days, allowing the team to recoup 75 percent of his salary while he is unable to play.


2013

After a spring training game on March 21, the Mets announced that Wright had been named the fourth team captain in Mets history, joining
Keith Hernandez Keith Hernandez (born October 20, 1953) is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman who played the majority of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. Hernandez was a five-time All-Star who shared the 1979 NL MVP ...
,
Gary Carter Gary Edmund Carter (April 8, 1954 – February 16, 2012) was an American professional baseball catcher whose 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career was spent primarily with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. Nicknamed "the Kid" for his y ...
, and
John Franco John Anthony Franco (born September 17, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed relief pitcher between and . Franco established himself as an All-Star player with the Cinci ...
. Wright got his 1,500th career hit on June 18 against the Atlanta Braves off of
Cory Gearrin Cory Nathanial Gearrin (born April 14, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, New York ...
. Wright was named the National League's Home Run Derby team captain for the 2013 MLB All-Star Game. He selected Carlos González,
Michael Cuddyer Michael Brent Cuddyer (; born March 27, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, and New York Mets. He batted and threw right-han ...
, and
Bryce Harper Bryce Aron Max Harper (born October 16, 1992) is an American professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to his arrival in Philadelphia, Harper played for the Wash ...
as the other three participants for the National League. Gonzalez, who was injured at the time, was later replaced by Pedro Alvarez. Wright would hit 5
home runs In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
in the
derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
, but would not move on. On July 6, Wright was named the starting third baseman for the National League team in the 2013 MLB All-Star Game. In the 2013 MLB All-Star Game, Wright went 1-for-3. Wright also became the fourth Mets player to appear in at least 7 All-Star games. On August 3, 2013, Wright was placed on the 15-day disabled list a day after he strained his right
hamstring In human anatomy, a hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in between the hip and the knee (from medial to lateral: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris). The hamstrings are susceptible to injury. In quadrupeds, ...
. Upon his return from the disabled list, Wright hit two home runs in his first two games, surpassing Mike Piazza for the second-most home runs hit by a player in a Mets uniform, behind Darryl Strawberry. Wright played in 112 games in 2013, batting .307 with 18 home runs, 58 RBIs and 17 steals.


2014

Wright was chosen as the "Face of MLB" in a contest online in February 2014. He narrowly beat out A's infielder
Eric Sogard Eric Sidney Sogard (born May 22, 1986) is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, and Chicago C ...
. Wright finished second in All-Star game voting for
third base A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
to the Brewers'
Aramis Ramírez Aramis Nin Ramírez (; born June 25, 1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman, who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Brewers. He was named an All-Sta ...
, making it only the third time in 10 seasons he had been left out. Second baseman Daniel Murphy represented the Mets at the 2014 All-Star Game. Wright's 2014 performance declined from previous years. He hit at a .269 clip, his lowest batting average since his 2011 season was shortened due to injury. Wright's .269/.324/.374 slash line was attributed to a recurring shoulder injury. Early in the season, he sustained a left rotator cuff contusion which slowed his offensive production and hurt his defense. Wright finished the year playing in 134 games with a career-low eight home runs and committed 15 errors, tied for most on the team.


2015

On April 14, 2015, Wright suffered a strained right hamstring while stealing second base. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He was later diagnosed with
spinal stenosis Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen that results in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs. Symptoms are typically gradual in on ...
, and was expected to return towards the end of the season. David Wright was placed on the 60-day DL for his spinal stenosis on July 24, 2015, to clear up space on the 40-man roster. On August 10, the Mets sent Wright on a rehab assignment to the
St. Lucie Mets The St. Lucie Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and play their home games at Clover Park. The Mets have been members ...
. Following
Chase Utley Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978), nicknamed "The Man" and "Silver Fox", is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. He ...
's August trade from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wright became the longest-tenured active player to have played his entire career with one team. His 1,516 games with the Mets had previously only trailed Utley's 1,551 games with the Phillies. Wright returned from his injury for the Mets' August 24 game in Philadelphia. In his first at-bat, he hit a home run off Phillies pitcher Adam Morgan, the first of a club record eight home runs the Mets would hit in a 16–7 victory. His return helped propel the Mets to the
2015 World Series The 2015 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2015 season. The 111th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion New York Mets and the American Leag ...
against the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
. In his only World Series appearance, he committed an error in the 14th inning that led to the winning run as the Royals took a 5–4 victory in Game 1. In Game 3, he went 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs, including his only World Series home run, a two-run home run, off
Yordano Ventura Yordano Ventura Hernández (; June 3, 1991 – January 22, 2017) was a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Ventura made his MLB debut on September 17, 2013. Known as a power pitche ...
as part of the Mets' 9–3 victory in their only win of the series. Wright played in only 38 games.


2016

As a result of his spinal stenosis, Wright had to complete an extensive pre-game workout routine consisting of physical therapy, exercise, and some minimal batting and fielding drills. The entire process takes about 4–5 hours. On May 21, 2016, Wright hit a bases-loaded single off of
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
pitcher
Michael Blazek Michael Robert Blazek (born March 16, 1989) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Washington Nationals. Career Blazek attended Arbor View ...
to break a 4–4 tie in the bottom of the 9th inning and give the Mets the victory. On June 3, Wright was placed on the disabled list due to a
herniated disc Spinal disc herniation is an injury to the cushioning and connective tissue between vertebrae, usually caused by excessive strain or trauma to the spine. It may result in back pain, pain or sensation in different parts of the body, and physical ...
in his neck. On June 16, he underwent neck surgery to repair the herniated disc. He missed the remainder of the 2016 season, having played a career-low 37 games and batted .226/.350/.438, the lowest batting average of his major league career.


2017

On February 28, after rehabbing from his neck surgery, Wright was diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement which, at the time, jeopardized his ability to play on Opening Day. He was, however, allowed to continue hitting as the injury only affected his ability to throw. This was yet another serious injury for Wright, which prompted people to ask General Manager Sandy Alderson if he thought that Wright would ever be able to play competitively again. He responded, "I don't think we're at that point, the point where that concern is at a more heightened level. This is all part of the process of rehabilitation from the neck surgery and it's taking longer than I'm sure David would have hoped and we would hope – but it's all part of the process." On September 4, it was revealed that Wright would undergo rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder, which prevented him from playing in the Majors all year in 2017. He underwent the surgery on September 5.


2018

On March 13, 2018, Wright experienced even more setbacks due to lingering back and shoulder injuries. At that point, he was shut down from baseball activities completely. On June 1, he was cleared to start baseball activities again. On June 25, he participated in batting practice at
Citi Field Citi Field is a baseball stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in New York City, United States. It opened in 2009 and is the home field of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. The stadium was built as a replacement for the adjacent ...
. On August 12, Wright was slated to play five innings with the Single-A St. Lucie team at Clearwater. On August 28, Wright was promoted to AAA Las Vegas to continue his rehab, and singled in his first at bat. On September 13, the Mets announced that Wright would be activated from the disabled list for the Mets' last homestand of the season and start the September 29 game against the Marlins, his last appearance before retirement. On September 28, he grounded out as a
pinch hitter In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute Batting (baseball), batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the dead ball (baseball), ball is dead (not in active play); the manager (baseball), manager may use any player who has not yet ...
against the Marlins, his first MLB appearance in over two years. In his September 29 start, he batted 0-for-1 with a walk and fielded one ground ball before being removed in the fifth inning to a lengthy ovation by fans and players alike. The Mets went on to win the ballgame, 1–0, with Austin Jackson hitting a walk-off single in the 13th inning. After the game, Wright addressed the Citi Field crowd, thanking them for supporting him throughout his career and for helping him achieve his dreams.


World Baseball Classic

Wright was selected to play third base for the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in the
2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international baseball competition. It began on 5 9 and finished 5 26. Unlike in 2006, when the round-robin format of the first two rounds led to some eliminations being decided by run-difference ti ...
. In the second round, with the United States facing elimination against
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, Wright delivered a 9th inning walk-off hit against Fernando Cabrera to win the game for the Americans. The win guaranteed Team USA a spot in the semifinal round. He was again selected to play third base in the
2013 World Baseball Classic The 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, held from March 2 to March 19, 2013. This was the third iteration of the WBC, following the two previous tournaments, held in 2006 and 2009. Unlike ...
. In the 2013 WBC, Wright hit a grand slam in the United States's game against Italy. It was the second time a United States player hit a grand slam in WBC play. In the second-round opener against Puerto Rico, Wright had 5 RBIs. Wright ended the tournament with the most total RBIs of any player and earned the nickname "
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
". Wright sat out during the US loss to the Dominican Republic in the following game, citing soreness. He was later diagnosed with sore ribs and sent back to New York for further examination, ending his participation for the rest of the 2013 tournament. The US team went on to lose to Puerto Rico 4–3, resulting in an elimination. Wright was selected as the third baseman for the All-WBC team, the only American player to earn the honor.


Mets franchise records

* New York Mets All Star leader *New York Mets career
At Bats In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
(AB) leader (5,998 ABs) *New York Mets career
Bases on Balls A base on balls (BB), also known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The base on balls is defined in Se ...
(BB or Walk) leader (762 Walks) *New York Mets career Doubles leader (390 Doubles) *New York Mets career
Extra Base Hits In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire ano ...
(EB) leader (658 EBs) *New York Mets career Hits leader (1,777 Hits) *New York Mets career Offensive WAR leader (Offensive War of 51.9) *New York Mets career
Plate Appearances In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runner ...
(PA) leader (6,872 PAs) *New York Mets career
Runs Batted In A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBI) leader (970 RBIs) * New York Mets career
Runs Created Runs created (RC) is a baseball statistic invented by Bill James to estimate the number of runs a hitter contributes to their team. Purpose James explains in his book, ''The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract'', why he believes runs created is ...
leader (1,134 Runs Created) * New York Mets career
Runs Scored In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls ...
leader (949 Runs Scored) * New York Mets career
Sacrifice Flies In baseball, a sacrifice fly (sometimes abbreviated to sac fly) is defined by Rule 9.08(d): "Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits a ball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield in fair o ...
leader (65 Sacrifice Flies) * New York Mets career
Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s leader (1,292 Strikeouts) *New York Mets career
Times On Base In baseball statistics, the term times on base (TOB), is the cumulative total number of times a batter has reached base as a result of a hit, base on balls, or hit by pitch. This statistic does not include times reaching base by way of an error, ...
(TOB) leader (2,584 TOBs) *New York Mets career
Total Bases In baseball statistics, total bases is the number of bases a player gains with hits. It is a weighted sum with values of 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run. For example, three singles is three total bases, while ...
leader (2,945 Total Bases) *New York Mets career
Wins Above Replacement Wins Above Replacement or Wins Above Replacement Player, commonly abbreviated to WAR or WARP, is a non-standardized sabermetric baseball statistic developed to sum up "a player's total contributions to his team". A player's WAR value is claimed to ...
(WAR) Position Players leader (WAR of 49.2)


Awards and honors


Personal life

Wright has maintained homes in
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
,
Manhattan Beach, California Manhattan Beach is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast south of El Segundo, California, El Segundo, west of Hawthorne, California, Hawthorne and Redondo Beach, California, Red ...
and
Chesapeake, Virginia Chesapeake is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,422, it is the second-most populous independent city in Virginia, tenth-largest in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 90th ...
wherein he owns a
boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...
dog named Homer. His clubhouse nicknames include "Visine" and "Hollywood". In May 2007,
Vitamin Water Energy Brands, also doing business as Glacéau, is a privately owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company based in Whitestone, Queens, New York, that manufactures and distributes various lines of drinks marketed as enhanced water. Founded in May 1 ...
was sold to
The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation founded in 1892, best known as the producer of Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, ...
for $4.1 billion. As part of his endorsement deal, Wright was given 0.5% of the company, and thus netted approximately $20 million from the deal. After dating model Molly Beers for several years, Wright announced in January 2013 that he and Beers were engaged to be married during the holidays. The couple were married in
La Jolla, California La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood within the city of San Diego, California, United States, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. La Jolla is surrounded on ...
, on December 26, 2013. They have two daughters and a son. Wright's memoir, ''The Captain'', was published on October 13, 2020, by Dutton - Penguin Books. It was co-written by Wright and Anthony DiComo, who is a Mets beat writer for MLB.com.


Charitable organizations


David Wright Foundation

In 2005, Wright began his own charitable organization, the David Wright Foundation. Its mission is to increase awareness about
multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
and to raise money for multiple sclerosis organizations and projects. The Foundation hosted its first annual
gala Gala may refer to: Music * ''Gala'' (album), a 1990 album by the English alternative rock band Lush *'' Gala – The Collection'', a 2016 album by Sarah Brightman *GALA Choruses, an association of LGBT choral groups *''Gala'', a 1986 album by T ...
at the
New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed c ...
Members' Club on December 16, 2005, donating the proceeds to two multiple sclerosis centers. During the 2009 season, Wright and Yankees shortstop
Derek Jeter Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...
represented their foundations in a competition sponsored by
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
. Jeter had the higher
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
and received $100,000 for his foundation from Delta while Wright's foundation received $50,000.


Big League Impact

Wright is the New York City host for Big League Impact, an eight-city fantasy football network created and led by longtime St. Louis Cardinals pitcher
Adam Wainwright Adam Parrish Wainwright (born August 30, 1981), nicknamed "Waino" and "Uncle Charlie", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Atlanta Braves selected him 29th overall in the ...
. In 2015, the organization raised more than $1 million in total for various charitable organizations.


Media appearances

Delta Air Lines named an
MD-88 The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of five-abreast single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas. It was produced by the developer company until August 1997 and then by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The MD-80 was the second gene ...
airplane ''The Wright Flight'', after Wright. The plane's name, along with Wright's signature and jersey number (5), are next to the boarding door. The plane shuttles between New York,
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
and
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. Wright is noted for his unaffected politeness and work ethic. He has been known to help participate with the
Boys & Girls Clubs of America Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is a national organization of local chapters which provide voluntary after-school programs for young people. The organization, which holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code, ...
. He has developed a reputation for arriving very early to the park for games and being uncommonly accommodating with fans and reporters. Wright was featured on the cover of '' MLB 07: The Show'', as well as a TV commercial advertisement for the game on the
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
game console. He has also appeared in a television commercial for Fathead, promoting the company's wall graphics. In 2006, Wright appeared on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's ''
Total Request Live ''Total Request Live'' (known commonly as ''TRL'') was an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by ...
'' with then-teammate
Cliff Floyd Cornelius Clifford Floyd Jr. (born December 5, 1972) is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for 17 seasons, most notably for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins and New York Mets. He is currently a baseball analyst who co-hosts ...
. He also made an appearance on the ''
Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
'' on July 12, 2006. That same day he appeared on the cover of ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' along with Mets teammates Carlos Beltrán,
Paul Lo Duca Paul Anthony Lo Duca (born April 12, 1972) is an American retired professional baseball player and television personality. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers (–), Florida Marlins (2004–, ), New York Met ...
, Carlos Delgado, and José Reyes. On January 3, 2008, Wright appeared on ''
Celebrity Apprentice ''The Celebrity Apprentice'' is an American television reality competition series. It was a variation of ''The Apprentice'' series, hosted by then real estate developer (later 45th president of the United States The president of the Unite ...
'' to purchase
hot dogs A hot dog (uncommonly spelled hotdog) is a food consisting of a grilled or steamed sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced Hot dog bun, bun. The term hot dog can refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener (Vienna sausag ...
for charity.New York Met David Wright buys hot dogs on Celebrity Apprentice
/ref> Wright is a celebrity spokesman for Ford in the New York/New Jersey market.


See also

*
30–30 club In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases in a single season. Ken Williams was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1922. He remained the sole member ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most home runs. In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play, without the benefit ...
*
List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise The following is a list of former Major League Baseball (MLB) players who played in at least 10 MLB seasons and spent their entire MLB playing careers exclusively with one franchise. In most cases, this means the player only appeared with one team ...


References


External links

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, David 1982 births Living people Baseball players from Norfolk, Virginia Binghamton Mets players Capital City Bombers players Gold Glove Award winners Kingsport Mets players Las Vegas 51s players Major League Baseball third basemen National League All-Stars New York Mets players Norfolk Tides players People from Manalapan Township, New Jersey Peoria Saguaros players Silver Slugger Award winners Sportspeople from Chesapeake, Virginia St. Lucie Mets players World Baseball Classic players of the United States 2009 World Baseball Classic players 2013 World Baseball Classic players