MIAMI — New York Mets third baseman David Wright will be out at least six weeks and perhaps a lot longer with a herniated disk in his neck, and the team didn’t try to minimize the loss Friday.
“It’s going to be tough,” Mets Manager Terry Collins said. “It’s pretty shocking to hear about the length of time.”
Wright had been sidelined since Monday, and the Mets initially hoped the injury was minor. He planned to fly to California to see Dr. Robert Watkins for further evaluation to figure out if it’s possible to avoid surgery.
Wright is expected to need six to eight weeks of rest and rehabilitation, the Mets said, and they put him on the disabled list.
He was batting only .226 with seven homers and 14 RBI for the defending NL champions, but his role as captain makes him difficult to replace.
“We’ve got to pick it up certainly in the clubhouse,” Collins said. “His leadership off the field is second to none. We need to pick that part of it up and just hope he gets better, just hope he gets through this. I know he’ll put the time and effort into the rehab to get back, and we’ll just hope he gets back soon.”
Wright, 33, was on the disabled list from April 15 to Aug. 24 last year when he strained his right hamstring and then developed spinal stenosis.
Collins said he’s confident Wright will return this season.
GIANTS: Outfielder Hunter Pence will undergo surgery for a right hamstring injury and is likely to be out eight weeks.
Pence said he felt the hamstring pop running to first base trying to beat out an infield grounder on Wednesday. He was helped off the field.
Pence said he was told he had a 50-50 chance of returning if he skipped surgery and just did rehabilitation work. But if he did that and re-injured himself, the recovery time would be longer.
DODGERS: The team placed Yasiel Puig on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
Puig, batting .237 with five home runs in 53 games, became the 16th Dodgers player to go on the DL this season, which leads the majors.
ORIOLES: Setup man Darren O’Day was put on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring.
Manager Buck Showalter said O’Day was feeling tenderness in his hamstring before aggravating the injury Wednesday night while covering first base.
FUTURES GAME: Retired Padres closer Trevor Hoffman will manage the U.S. team and six-time All-Star Moises Alou the World team at the All-Star Futures Game on July 10 in San Diego.
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