Cue the tears and the goosebumps, Mets fans—this July, one of the most beloved figures in team history will receive the ultimate honor. David Wright, the guy who spent 14 years diving for line drives, slashing doubles, and melting hearts in Queens, will have his No. 5 retired and be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in a ceremony as grand as his smile.
The festivities are set for July 19 at Citi Field, just before the Mets take on the Reds in a 4:10 p.m. tilt. While the Reds might be hoping for a win that day, the real W is reserved for Mets fans as Wright becomes just the 10th player in team history to have his number retired. Even more exclusive? He’s only the second Met, alongside Tom Seaver, to have his jersey sent skyward and his plaque immortalized in the same ceremony.
Wright’s No. 5 will find its forever home above the left-field grandstand, rubbing elbows (metaphorically, of course) with the likes of Casey Stengel (No. 37), Gil Hodges (No. 14), Tom Seaver (No. 41), Mike Piazza (No. 31), Jerry Koosman (No. 36), Keith Hernandez (No. 17), Willie Mays (No. 24), Dwight Gooden (No. 16), and Darryl Strawberry (No. 18). In addition to these legends, Jackie Robinson’s iconic No. 42 is retired across baseball, and the Mets also honor one of their founders, Bill Shea, as well as legendary broadcasters Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy with plaques.
No Met has worn No. 5 since Wright bid a tearful farewell in 2018. Starting this summer, the number will retire for good, taking its rightful place among baseball royalty. Notably, Wright joins an exclusive club of Mets players who were the last to wear their respective retired numbers, alongside Gil Hodges, Casey Stengel, Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza.
But this honor isn’t just about stats, though Wright’s 242 home runs, 970 RBIs, and franchise records in hits, doubles, and runs scored speak volumes. It’s about a man who embodied what it meant to be a Met.
And let’s not gloss over how he earned the nickname "Captain America" after a standout World Baseball Classic performance in 2013. Sure, the injuries that hobbled his career could’ve been a plot twist straight out of a Greek tragedy, but Wright’s story has always been about resilience, leadership, and connection to a fan base that adored him.
I had the privilege of covering a good portion of David Wright's remarkable career as a Met. Beyond being a generational talent and face of the franchise, David was kind enough to join me as a guest on my radio show and contribute to You Never Forget Your First: A Collection of New York Mets Firsts, the book Howie Karpin and I co-wrote.
David shared some great stories with us, offering a glimpse into the moments that defined his incredible journey. Here are a few of the firsts he was gracious enough to recall:
FIRST SPRING TRAINING
“When I first got drafted, the Mets were kind enough to fly my parents, me, and my brothers up to New York to sign my first professional contract. Bobby Valentine told me he wanted me to dress in uniform, take grounders, and join batting practice before the game. My anxiety was through the roof—I was stretching next to Mike Piazza and other guys whose baseball cards I’d collected. My brothers, being kids, ran around the field mid-stretch asking for autographs, including one for me. It must have looked like a circus. But it was surreal. The guy who threw me batting practice that day, Dave Racaniello, ended up becoming my best friend and even the best man at my wedding. Full circle: he was also the guy I played catch with before my final game at Citi Field.”
FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE MANAGER: Art Howe
“Art called me into his office at the end of the season, after learning he wouldn’t be back as manager. I was just 21, on a team full of Hall of Famers, and he told me, ‘David, you’re going to hit in the middle of this lineup for a long time, but more importantly, you’re going to be a leader in this clubhouse for a long time.’ That conversation gave me so much confidence. I’ll never forget it.”
FIRST CALL-UP
“I was in Norfolk when [manager] John Stearns called me into his office. He shook my hand and said, ‘You’re going to New York tomorrow. You’re starting against the Expos.’ My jaw dropped. It was a dream coming true, but I knew it was just the beginning. Getting to the big leagues was one thing—staying there was even harder.”
FIRST GAME/FIRST FIELDING CHANCE
On July 21, 2004, against the Montreal Expos at Shea Stadium, Wright’s first fielding chance came in the first inning. “Jae Seo was pitching. Vidro hit a sharp grounder to my left. I’d made errors in Triple-A, so I was nervous, but once I made the play, I could breathe. The best part was seeing my face on the Jumbotron and hearing the fans cheer when they announced my name. It was incredible.”
FIRST HIT: July 22, 2004, vs. Montreal Expos
“It was a double down the left-field line off Zach Day. I remember Jose Vidro congratulating me—he’d been generous enough to send me bats in the minors. It was a sharp ground ball, and the first baseman tried to fake me out, but I saw it go by him. Standing on second base was an unforgettable moment.”
FIRST HOME RUN: July 26, 2004, vs. Montreal Expos
“It was in Montreal, so the crowd was sparse. I hit the ball to left-center, and a fan made a great catch. I think we traded him a jersey for the ball. A special moment, even if it wasn’t in front of a packed house.”
FIRST BAREHANDED CATCH: August 9, 2005
Wright made an iconic barehanded, over-the-shoulder grab of a blooper hit by Brian Giles in San Diego. “I was turned around, and the ball drifted over my right side. Using my glove wasn’t an option, so I went with my bare hand—just reaction. Lying on the ground, I thought, ‘Could I have used my glove?’ But watching the replay, I realized that was the only way I could’ve made the play. My brothers left me a voicemail: ‘Good thing you didn’t use your glove. You would’ve dropped it.’ Classic.”
FIRST TIME AS A 30-30 PLAYER: 2007
“HoJo [Howard Johnson, then a Mets coach] was the one that was telling me that I could do it. He’s like, ‘You could be a 30-30 guy,’ and I kind of laughed it off. I knew I could steal some bases. I knew I could hit for power but at the time, 30 home runs was a lot. At the time, 30 stolen bases was a lot so it would have been incredibly difficult to get one of the two. I remember I got my 30th stolen base first and then I hit my 30th home run off the Phillies late in the season. He was the first one basically greeting me before I even got to the dugout with like a big hug. He would work with me and work with me and work with me, not just on the hitting part but on base stealing. Trying to get good jumps and give me little tricks of the trade. I mean he really pushed me and pushed me and pushed me. I don’t think I would’ve gotten there or even set that as a goal if he didn’t put it in my mind and believe in me and tell me I could do this and that he saw this in me.”
FIRST METS HOME RUN IN CITI FIELD HISTORY: April 13, 2009 vs. San Diego Padres
Wright hit the first Mets home run at their new ballpark. It was a game-tying, three-run shot in the fifth inning against Padres pitcher Walter Silva. San Diego’s Jody Gerut led off the game with the first home run ever at Citi Field.
“It was electric energy. It kind of died down a little bit when [Mike] Pelfrey gave up a leadoff homer to the Padres. I remember getting up there, it was the fifth inning, a couple of guys on. As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone. I remember giving the hardest five to our first-base coach and our third-base coach, almost took their hands off. I think it was Luis Alicea at first and Manny Acta [actually Razor Shines] at third. I remember being so pumped up, so jacked up ’cause it kind of sent the place into its first celebration. It was just so cool to tie the game up. Packed house, opening night, first game and to be able to deliver like that, see how the family reacted for the first time at Citi Field. It pumps me up beyond belief.”
FIRST REACTION TO BEING NAMED TEAM CAPTAIN IN 2013:
Wright was named the fourth captain in team history.
“It meant the world. To this day, that’s the greatest honor. When I look back on it, that’s the greatest honor that I think I could have ever received. I would have loved to have won a World Series but as far as personal accolades, being looped in that light and being on that team and being captain of that team. Just look at the history of it with Johnny [Franco] and Keith [Hernandez] and Gary Carter. These are names that you know are on the Mets Mount Rushmore. To be able to add my name to that mix and more importantly, the fans, my teammates and the organization thought of me in that light. To this day, the single biggest honor that I could have received.”
Category | Record | Details |
All-Star Appearances | Most in Mets History | 7 Times |
At-Bats (AB) | 5,998 | Mets Career Leader |
Bases on Balls (BB) | 762 | Mets Career Leader |
Doubles | 390 | Mets Career Leader |
Extra-Base Hits (EB) | 658 | Mets Career Leader |
Hits | 1,777 | Mets Career Leader |
Offensive WAR | 51.9 | Mets Career Leader |
Plate Appearances (PA) | 6,872 | Mets Career Leader |
Runs Batted In (RBI) | 970 | Mets Career Leader |
Runs Created | 1,134 | Mets Career Leader |
Runs Scored | 949 | Mets Career Leader |
Sacrifice Flies | 65 | Mets Career Leader |
Strikeouts | 1,292 | Mets Career Leader |
Times on Base (TOB) | 2,584 | Mets Career Leader |
Total Bases | 2,945 | Mets Career Leader |
Wins Above Replacement (WAR) | 49.2 (Position Players) | Mets Career Leader |
As you can see by the above chart, David Wright’s legacy with the Mets is cemented by his numerous club records. He holds the franchise lead in at-bats (5,998), hits (1,777), doubles (390), runs scored (949), and RBIs (970). Additionally, Wright leads the Mets in total bases (2,945), extra-base hits (658), times on base (2,584), and plate appearances (6,872). His discipline at the plate is unmatched, as he also tops the charts in walks (762) and sacrifice flies (65). On the analytical side, Wright is the Mets' all-time leader in offensive WAR (51.9) and overall WAR among position players (49.2). A seven-time All-Star, Wright’s contributions will forever be etched in Mets history.
And just like that, David Wright’s No. 5 will be retired, forever hanging in the rafters of Citi Field. As Mets fans, we know we’ve witnessed greatness—and not just the kind that shows up in box scores. This is the kind of greatness that earns a lifelong bond with a fan base, the kind that turns a player into a living legend. Whether it was his gritty, no-nonsense style on the field, his heartfelt leadership in the clubhouse, or his connection to the fans that made us feel like we were part of the journey, Wright was the whole package. His story, from that young, nervous kid in spring training to the steady, unflappable captain, is one we’ll always treasure. If there was ever a player who embodied the heart and soul of the Mets, it was Captain America himself. So when his number goes up on July 19, know this: every tear shed, every cheer that echoes through the stadium, is well-earned. And as for that smile of his? It’ll be lighting up Citi Field for generations to come.
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