David Wright

Mets third baseman David Wright is hoping that an upcoming visit to his back surgeon will result in the beginning of an uphill climb back to the majors, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports. Wright says that it’s just a routine visit, but there seems to be at least some optimism that he’ll be cleared to start some light baseball activities or arrive at a timeline for taking that step.

While it was largely a foregone conclusion already, the news leaves no doubt whatsoever that Wright won’t return in 2016. When he underwent surgery for a herniated disc in mid-June, a three-month timetable had been suggested, which made a late-season activation at least theoretically possible.

Instead, Wright will be looking to build back for 2017. In some regards, there’s no rush, as he’ll have an entire offseason to prepare. But given that he has been limited to light exercise thus far, the hope will surely be that there is sufficient healing in Wright’s neck to allow him as much time as possible to get back in shape and tune up his baseball skills.

There could also be some implications for the Mets, who are no doubt watching warily to see how Wright bounces back. He was already dealing with a serious back issue, diagnosed as spinal stenosis, before the neck surgery became necessary. And at 33 years of age, Wright was already entering a decline phase. Creating a back-up plan, at least, seems an obvious necessity. Even though New York remains on the hook for $67MM through the 2020 campaign, it likely can’t fully count on Wright at this point — though he has made clear that he is committed to a return.

Finding a fill-in could simply be a matter of looking within, of course. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com suggested recently on Twitter that the organization views Jose Reyes as a “hedge” against Wright being unavailable. It seems fair to think that Wilmer Flores would be a viable possibility, and New York has several other, less-established options on its depth chart as well.

That being said, with other infield needs — the pending departure of second bagger Neil Walker and potentially also first baseman Lucas Duda (who is an uncertain tender candidate) — it’s also not unimaginable that the Mets will try for a winter strike to add another player capable of manning the hot corner. How great a priority that is may well depend upon what kind of progress Wright can show over the next month or two.

Mets third baseman David Wright is weighing the options with his injured neck and a surgical option is on the table, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo was among those to report. Replacement of a herniated disk would likely come with at least a three-month recovery timeline, quite possibly ending Wright’s season.

The tough-luck star was already battling through a chronic back condition when the neck problem arose. While the team has suggested that the two issues are unrelated, it’s obviously especially difficult for Wright to deal with yet another injury.

It’s not yet clear that surgery will be chosen. But last we heard, surgery wasn’t a near-term consideration. Wright was instead slated to rest for six to eight weeks before trying to ramp things back up. It appears that the possibility of a procedure is at least on the rise at this pont.

GM Sandy Alderson didn’t sound a particularly promising tone. “I always prefer certainty over uncertainty, so having some resolution will be helpful,” he said. “False hope is never useful, or not often useful. We like to be pragmatic.”

Alderson suggested that New York is beginning to look at fill-in options while relying on Wilmer Flores in the interim. He appeared at least to be open to the possibility of Cuban star Yulieski Gurriel, who was recently declared a free agent, though that would likely require a fairly significant outlay since there’ll be competition.

“I don’t feel that there’s any immediate timeline for necessity to know one way or the other, in part because the availability of replacements is so limited-to-nonexistent at this point,” Alderson said. “This is not the time of year when full-time third basemen, other than [Gurriel], are typically available. So we march on.”

Speaking more generally about the club’s plans earlier today, Alderson largely demurred when asked about Gurriel, as ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin was among those to report. He did note that the organization isn’t quite as flush with prospect talent now as it was this time last year, raising questions about what the team could accomplish via trade. “There’s no question, though, our farm system is not quite as healthy today as it was then in part because of all the trades we made,” said Alderson. “So to the extent that we’re active, it may hurt us a little more this year than it did last year.”

It appears that the organization will wait to decide upon a future course until Wright has decided whether or not to undergo surgery. DiComo writes that the veteran will make the call this week.

It’s important to note that Wright is playing on a $20MM salary this year and is under contract for another $67MM through 2020. A good piece of those obligations could be covered by insurance, though, potentially creating some flexibility if it becomes clear that Wright won’t be able to return in 2016.

Mets third baseman David Wright has been diagnosed with a herniated disk in his neck, he told reporters including Mike Puma of the New York Post (Twitter link). His outlook remains uncertain, though he suggested that he’ll know more tomorrow.

Wright has been battling through spinal stenosis in his back all year. That condition limited him to 38 games a season ago, but he’s just one shy of that number already in 2016. He’s no longer one of the game’s very best hitters, but he’s still managed to compile a .226/.350/.438 batting line with seven home runs and three stolen bases over his 164 plate appearances thus far.

The neck issue appears to be a new one, and it’s certainly concerning to see another variable introduced for the 33-year-old. His back condition is expected to require intensive care, conditioning, and periodic rest for the rest of his career. It certainly seems fair to wonder whether it also leaves him somewhat more susceptible to other ailments.

For now, it’s not clear whether a DL stint is in order. New York is already dealing with the loss of Lucas Duda for an unknown stretch with his own back problems, with James Loney expected to fill in. The hope might have been that Wilmer Flores could also see time at first, in addition to providing support in the middle infield, but he may now be leaned on to fill in (or at least spell) Wright at the hot corner.

The Mets do have some infield options within the organization who could help shoulder the load. Dilson Herrera and Gavin Cecchini are both hitting well at Triple-A, and could perform utility roles, though only Herrera is on the 40-man roster. Matt Reynolds is another 40-man infield possibility; he was just sent down to make way for Flores, but could be recalled without waiting the usual ten days if the move is required due to an ensuing DL placement.

All told, it’s far too soon to know whether Wright’s neck injury is a significant new cause for concern. It’s impossible to know his individual prognosis, given that he and the team have yet to learn of it, but one data point that’s worth noting is that of Nick Markakis. The outfielder underwent offseason surgery after signing with the Braves to address his own, seemingly similar condition, and was able to recover within six weeks or so in order to begin a full spring with his new organization.

Wright remains a critical piece of the puzzle for the Mets, who not only need him to contend this year but are also obligated to him for $67MM over four seasons in the future. Given his preexisting issues, this new malady rates as a topic to watch for the time being.