There was some concern among New York Mets fans that captain David Wright returning to the lineup might upset the chemistry of one of Major League Baseball’s most surprising teams.
Wright’s first at-bat Monday did plenty to allay those concerns.
Playing for the first time since April 14 after back issues required a lengthy stint on the disabled list, the veteran third baseman walloped the third pitch he saw into Citizens Bank Park’s second deck for his second home run of the season.
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Wright’s return to action coincided with a rare poor outing for starter Jacob deGrom (seven runs on eight hits in just 2 2/3 innings) but also a historic night for the Mets offense. New York clubbed a franchise-record eight home runs and 20 hits in all to clobber the lowly Philadelphia Phillies 16-7.
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Wright went 2-for-5 with a walk and three run scored in the win, which upped the Mets’ cushion in the National League East to 5 1/2 games. A return to playoff baseball for the first time in 2006 is within reach.
“You watch it on TV, and now to be a part of it, you understand,” Wright said after the game, via The New York Times. “This team seems to be on a mission.”
Thumbnail photo via Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports Images
