Time Traveler Tuesdays: Mets' 3rd basemen of the 2010s: The end of an era
- Manny Fantis
- Feb 24
- 3 min read
David Wright, arguably the best New York Met of all time, ended his career in the 2010s. He suffered from a chronic spinal issue that limited his participation in the second half of the decade. From 2015-2018, he only played 75 total games for the Mets, making his exit a quiet one. He'll always be remembered as "Captain America" to the fans who cheered for him, and for what could have been a Hall of Fame lock if the injury hadn't consumed him.
He did provide some "Amazin'" moments for the first five years of the decade, so let's take a look back.
In 2010, Wright was an all-star, with 29 HR, 103 RBI, 36 doubles, and an .856 OPS. He was swinging more freely that season, too. His average dropped below .300 for the first time in a few years to .283. He set his career high in strikeouts that year with 161, well above his average.
One of the most memorable moments of 2010 for Wright was not actually a highlight, but it did highlight his passion for the game. It was the bottom of the 9th in a tight game against the Giants, and he had already struck out three times in the game. He had worked a full count, and then fireworks! A fastball about three and a half inches inside was called strike three. Wright uncharacteristically launched a series of expletives, and the ump didn't even hesitate to toss him.
2011 was the turning point in Wright's career. That's when the back issues started popping up and when he started to miss significant time. The play was a spectacular one. Chris Johnson grounded to second base with a runner on first, Justin Turner gloved it and spun to make a quick throw to Jose Reyes covering 2nd. The errant throw got by Reyes and trickled over to Wright, who was backing up the play. He scooped up the bad throw and hustled over to 3rd base to make a diving tag on a sliding Carlos Lee. The play appeared to be harmless to Wright. He popped up while his teammates celebrated the great play.
Wright ended up missing 60 games with a lower back fracture, triggering the series of back problems that would plague the rest of his career. Many believe that injury is what put a serious dent in his Hall of Fame chances.
He would finish the season respectably, with 14 HR and 61 RBI, in just over 100 games played.
Captain America is a true hero, so when he bounced back in 2012, no one was really 'shocked.'
He put together an all-star season and played hurt the entire year. He played 157 games that year, with 21 HR and 93 RBI. He also batted .306 with 41 doubles. He doubled up the comeback campaign to the next season as well. In 2013, he was elected to the All-Star Team again. He only played 112 games, however. He batted .307, with 18HR, and 58 RBI.
As the years went by, you could just see the pain Wright was in, but he refused to let it define him. In 2014, he played 134 games. He drove in 63 runs and even stole 17 bases, but he was on the decline.
For the next three years, he provided flashes of his former heroic self, like the unforgettable home run in the 2015 World Series.
Game 3 of the World Series was his. He drove in two with that homer and two more with an RBI single in the 6th inning.
For the next couple of years, the Mets platooned 3rd base, looking for a steady solution to the huge void Wright left behind.
In 2018, the Mets signed Todd Frazier, a journeyman who had played the previous season in the Bronx for the Yankees.
Frazier was steady and reliable. He played the bulk of games at the hot corner for the rest of the decade. In 2018, he batted .213, with 18 HR and 59 RBI, with a .693 OPS. In 2019, he batted .251, with 21 HR and 67 RBI. Not a bad stat-line from a solid role-player. Frazier was never really recognized as such because of the shadow the captain left behind.
Wright began and ended his career with the New York Mets. He played for 14 seasons with a career .296 batting average and 1777 hits. He's first all-time on the Mets in hits, doubles, RBIs, runs scored, and walks. He's third all-time in HRs for the team, with 242 dingers.
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