The New York Mets honored one of the most beloved players in franchise history on Saturday afternoon and officially retired longtime third baseman David Wright’s No. 5 in a pregame ceremony at Citi Field. They marked the occasion with a big No. 5 on the Home Run Apple in center field.
The Home Run Apple has a #5 on it today for David Wright 馃崕
鉃★笍 Tri-State @Cadillac
“I never accomplished my goal of bringing a World Series back to Queens, but I promise you I gave it everything I had and wanted it just as badly as you did,” Wright said during the ceremony while flanked by his family, teammates, coaches, and Mets legends. “… That night [of my final game], I fully realized the extent of the relationship I had developed with the city of New York, and in particular this Mets fanbase.”
“You guys are trying to make me cry! Don’t do it!”
- David Wright
Wright, 42, was the No. 38 overall pick in the 2001 draft and spent his entire professional career with the Mets. Over his 14 years in Queens, Wright authored a batting line of .296/.376/.491 (133 OPS+) with 242 home runs, 390 doubles, 196 stolen bases, and 1,777 hits. Along the way, he amassed seven All-Star selections, two Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, and four top-10 finishes in the National League MVP vote. Wright’s career WAR of 49.2 ranks second all-time in Mets franchise history – behind leader Tom Seaver and just ahead of Dwight Gooden.
Absentee due to numerous injuries, Wright would probably be headed for the Hall of Fame. However, a series of back, neck, and shoulder injuries cut his career short. Yet, Wright holds Mets franchise records for walks, hits, doubles, RBI, and runs scored, among other metrics. He played his final game in September 2018.
Since purchasing the Mets in November 2020, owner Steve Cohen has honored several of the team鈥檚 all-time greats. Wright鈥檚 No. 5 is the 11th retired number in Mets history.
