PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets’ starting pitchers are dropping like flies, but David Wright managed to get through another step in his rehab unscathed.
Wright got his first game action since suffering an intercostal injury during the World Baseball Classic. While he didn’t play third base, he got one hit in five at-bats serving as DH in a pair of minor league games, and said he felt good.
“Having played a couple of weeks ago, I felt the timing was OK,” said Wright, who was trying to get as many at-bats as possible.
He continues to hold out hope for the season opener.
“I’ve been optimistic about Opening Day since I came back to [Port] St. Lucie and talked to the doctors and trainers about the diagnosis,” Wright said about avoiding the disabled list. “I’m another step closer. I’m still very optimistic … I don’t want to start the year on the DL, obviously, [but] that’s the worst case scenario and you’d want it to be five days instead of [15], but hopefully that’s not a discussion.”
Manager Terry Collins was positive, as well.
“I would not be surprised if David Wright is there Opening Day,” Collins said. “There will be a lot of things considered here on Thursday or Friday — a lot. We’ll just have to wait and see because we have to take the cold into consideration and a few other things.”
Wright would like to play third base in a game before the regular season, but that’s not essential.
“The best thing for me, as far as action at third base [is concerned], is with Tim Teufel on the field, doing a game-like situation drill,” Wright said. “I get more out of that than a game.”
Wright reached on an error in his first at-bat, then flied out to center, grounded to short and popped to right before hitting a single up the middle and later scoring from second.
“It was better toward the fifth at-bat,” Wright said. “The first couple of at-bats, I just wanted to see pitches. The third, fourth and fifth at-bats I was up there not just to see pitches, but to see some results.”
Wright didn’t expect to play anywhere today and just work out, while getting more minor league game action tomorrow.
METS TRAINING DAY
A GOOD DUDA
Lucas Duda continued his resurgence at the plate with three more hits against the Cardinals yesterday, including a double and a homer in the Mets’ 11-4 loss.
SEVEN-UP
Minor leaguer Randy Fontanez was summoned after Jeremy Hefner was hit by Carlos Beltran’s comebacker. He faced seven batters and all of them reached base, including Pete Kozma, who hit a grand slam.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Jon Niese gets his final tune-up before starting the season opener. He goes against the Astros tonight at 6:10 in Port St. Lucie.
CAUGHT MY EYE
Mike Baxter made a lunging grab of a fly ball in right field in the seventh yesterday — not quite like his catch in left during Johan Santana’s no-hitter last year, but Baxter didn’t crash into the fence and injure himself, either.