NEW YORK (AP) - David Wright took live batting practice Tuesday at Citi Field as the New York Mets captain tries to complete his comeback from a string of debilitating injuries.
The third baseman originally was scheduled to play defense in a simulated game as well, but those plans were scrapped on a drizzly afternoon because the infield was wet and muddy.
Wright faced Mets minor league pitching prospects Justin Dunn and David Peterson, simulating game at-bats for the second time in four days. The seven-time All-Star did similar work Saturday, also taking grounders on the field.
“I’m really excited and I’m really satisfied with how these two simulated games went,” Wright said. “Took some good swings, took some bad swings.”
The 35-year-old Wright said he’s still trying to regain his timing, and he’ll need to see how he feels Wednesday before looking ahead to the next step.
“It’s getting a little better,” Wright said. “I’m still fouling a lot of pitches off, which for me at least in my mind tells me that the rhythm’s off and my timing’s off, but towards the end there it got a little bit better. Put some good swings on it. So, I’ll take that.”
Wright hasn’t played in the major leagues since May 2016 due to neck, back and shoulder injuries that required surgery. He has said he believes he’ll return to the Mets this season, and reiterated that he expects to meet with chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon in the next few days to formulate a plan.
“They certainly know where I stand,” Wright said. “We’ll see where the conversation takes us, and hopefully work something out.”
Wright has salaries of $20 million this year, $15 million next season and $12 million in 2020, the final year of his deal. If the Mets reinstate him from the 60-day disabled list, it would likely diminish the amount of insurance money they could collect on his contract.
“For me, this is over two years of work. That’s coming out into the field to try to get back and play in a major league game,” Wright said. “So certainly, my short-term goal and, as it’s been the last couple years, my long-term goal is to put that uniform on and go out there and play again.”
New York’s current homestand ends Thursday, but the Mets finish the season with six games at Citi Field from Sept. 25-30.
“The biggest thing for me is just how my body responds,” said Wright, wearing an NYPD cap on the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. “I would say the second-biggest thing is obviously results.”
Wright hit a combined .171 with a double and two RBIs in 41 at-bats during 10 games for Class A St. Lucie and two with Triple-A Las Vegas last month. His rehab assignment expired and the season is over for New York’s farm teams, so Wright no longer has any tuneup opportunities in minor league games this year.
“Obviously, the circumstances aren’t great, physically, or running out of minor league games, but you do what you can do and that’s all we can do at this point,” he said. “So I’m going to try to get as comfortable as I can and then kind of go from there.”
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