The Mets have had a bountiful offseason, including handing Juan Soto the largest contract in professional sports history. However, their latest announcement may bring the warmest feelings to fans in Queens.
Per an official press release from the team, David Wright will be be memorialized forever in the Citi Fields rafters, as his #5 jersey will be retired and never worn again by another Mets player. That jersey retirement will come as part of a larger ceremony on July 19, 2025, when Wright is officially inducted into the Mets' Hall of Fame.
5️⃣ Forever
— New York Mets (@Mets) January 6, 2025
David Wright will have his No. 5 retired and be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 19, presented by @nyphospital. 🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/VkikuSH181
Wright played parts of 14 seasons in the MLB, all with the Mets. He was a seven-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glover award winner, and two-time Silver Slugger. He ranks first in numerous stats on the Mets' all-time leaderboards, including: WAR (49.2), at-bats (5,998), runs (949), hits (1,777), RBIs (970) and extra-base hits (658).
Wright deserves spot in Mets HOF despite injury-plagued career
Wright was named the Mets' fourth-ever team captain in 2013, and he was the face of the franchise from the moment he made his debut in 2004.
He showed tremendous grit and tenacity, routinely coming back from injuries that threatened his career, including a spinal stenosis diagnosis in 2015. Of course, Wright returned even from that injury, and his home run in Game 3 of that year's World Series stands as arguably the most memorable moment in franchise history since the turn of the century.
It speaks to Wright's character and quality that he still earned the top spot on so many franchise leaderboards despite never playing in more than 135 games in any season post-2012. His prime was illustrious, but his ability to produce even when operating below 100% was a testament to his resilience as a player.
Of course, the Mets weren't particularly good for much of Wright's career, though that World Series run in 2015 did offer him his chance to thrive on the game's biggest stage. In all, he played in just two postseasons (2006 and 2015), and slashed just .198/.311/.319 in 24 playoff games. It's a shame he didn't get more of a chance to shine outside the regular season, but "Captain America" earned this distinction thanks to his consistent excellence as a ballplayer and person.
A particular favorite fact of mine is that Wright was ejected just four times in 1609 games (including playoffs). Umpires deserve a lot of the scrutiny the receive, but Wright played the game with such integrity and respect that he rarely let the moment get the better of him.
Come July 19, one of the best players in Mets history — and one of the best players of the last quarter-century — will receive the recognition that he rightfully deserves.