PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. _ David Wright's already slim chances of starting at third base on Opening Day took a major hit on Tuesday when the Mets announced that lingering right shoulder soreness has brought his throwing program to a halt.
General manager Sandy Alderson said Wright, 34, is dealing with the fallout from months of inactivity following neck surgery last June. The lack of shoulder strength appears to be the central culprit.
"The muscles around the shoulder have not re-engaged since the surgery and that's taking more time than anticipated," Alderson said.
As a result, the lack of stability in the surrounding shoulder muscles has promoted what Alderson called "a banging" in the joint, leading to inflammation that has lingered throughout spring training. Wright underwent a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection about a month ago in hopes of eliminating the discomfort.
Wright was sent to New York on Tuesday for further evaluation from doctors. He's expected to return to camp on Wednesday. Alderson insisted that no structural damage has been found and that another surgery is not in the cards.
But with less than five weeks until Opening Day, and with Wright unable to throw, the Mets intend to have Jose Reyes ramp up his work at third base.
For now, all Wright can do is keep swinging the bat while waiting on his shoulder to heal.
"He's not going to be throwing for a couple of weeks, probably not throwing with any real zip for a period after that," Alderson said. "He can continue to DH but in the meantime he'll be doing lots of shoulder exercises to try to strengthen that shoulder."
This blow is the latest in a series of health maladies that have cast questions about Wright's viability as a major leaguer, though Alderson downplayed those long-term concerns. Wright, the Mets' captain, has four years and $67 million remaining on his deal.
"I don't think we're at that point where that concern is at a more heightened level," Alderson said. "This is all part of the process of rehabilitating from the neck surgery. It's taken longer than I'm sure David would have hoped and we would have hoped. But it's part of the process."
Wright has not been healthy since the 2014 season. In 2015, he returned late in the season after he was diagnosed with the chronic back condition spinal stenosis. Last year, Wright endured neck discomfort beginning in spring training, which ultimately led to season-ending surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck.
That surgery was performed near the shoulder, which continues to be the biggest complication from the procedure.
"Our goal is to get him back to third base," Alderson said.
Of course, if Wright can't throw, playing any defensive position including first base wouldn't be an option for the Mets.
Wright's light throwing program has been closely monitored, with his workout sessions shielded from all except for a few team trainers. He has compared the process to re-learning how to throw a baseball. He had taken only modest steps forward, forced to throw only every other day to ease the strain on his body.
Now, he must start over again.
"He's reassured that there's nothing structural wrong," said Alderson, who spoke with Wright on Tuesday morning. "It's a matter of continuing to exercise and shutting down the throwing program to eliminate the irritation. All of those things make him more optimistic because there's nothing structurally involved."
Nevertheless, the Mets long have planned for the uncertainty surrounding Wright, who has played just 75 games the last two seasons. Reyes has been working at different positions this spring, preparing to become a utilityman.
But with Wright down, Reyes now shifts his focus toward stepping in as the Mets' third baseman, just as he did upon his arrival last season.
