David Wright’s surgically repaired neck is feeling better with each passing week, and the Mets captain is hoping to get good news on his recovery when he meets with doctors later this month.
Wright is closing in on three months since he underwent fusion surgery to repair a ruptured disc in his neck, a benchmark in the healing process.
“They say that the bone is usually fairly healed up at three months typically, so we’ll see,” Wright said Thursday morning, after hosting a VIP Charity Fantasy Football League event at Citi Field. “I feel a lot better than I did two weeks [ago] or better than I did four weeks ago. It seems like I’m getting a little more range of motion each week. As far as the pain, the pain is minimal, so that’s all good news.”
Wright, 33, has been walking the upper deck and other parts of the stadium a few hours before each game, which is the only exercise he’s allowed to do at the moment. He hopes to get cleared for further activity at his next checkup in two weeks. He is planning to be ready to take part in spring training, though it depends on how the bone heals and his rehabilitation process unfolds.
“I’m assuming and I’m planning and I have the mindset where I’ll be be full go in spring training, but again, [I’m] hoping to get good news in a couple of weeks,” said Wright, who played in only 37 games this season, hitting .226 with seven homers and 14 RBIs in 137 at-bats. He already had been dealing with chronic spinal stenosis in his lower back.
As disappointing as it has been for Wright to have to watch most of this season from the sideline, the recent birth of his daughter, Olivia Shea, has helped erase some of that sadness.
“Awesome, just a great thrill,” Wright said. “It’s very easy to hang your head and be a little disappointed about not being out there this season, but the silver lining for me is I get a chance to go home every night and see a little girl that’s growing like a weed. There’s no greater feeling I’ve experienced.”