New York Post

Wright on track for baseball activities

- By MIKE PUMA

With fingers crossed, the Mets are hoping David Wright can begin limited baseball activities next week.

Manager Terry Collins told The Post on Wednesday that he has spoken to the Mets captain in recent days, and Wright is the most upbeat he has been “in a long time” as he rehabs from spinal stenosis.

Collins said the team won’t know more until seeing Wright this weekend in Los Angeles, where the Mets play the Dodgers, but the third baseman has made significan­t progress in strengthen­ing his back and there is a strong possibilit­y he will be cleared to begin running and fielding grounders next week.

Wright has spent the last month in Los Angeles undergoing physical therapy and consulting with noted specialist Dr. Robert Watkins.

If Wright were to begin limited baseball activities next week, he could possibly be in position to rejoin the Mets by late July.

Wright, 32, has played just eight games this season. He was placed on the disabled list on April 15 with a strained right hamstring and during his rehab was diagnosed with stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column.

Wright was in uniform with the team early last month for three games in San Diego, at which time he told reporters he unequivoca­lly expected to return this season. Wright has been visiting with Watkins every Monday, at which time the doctor and patient review a checklist and a workout is prescribed for the upcoming week.

Wright said he was told early on that surgery wouldn’t be an option — unless he was careless in his rehab and the condition worsened.

“From the moment I was diagnosed with this, from the informatio­ngathering stage, there has never been a question in my mind [about returning],” Wright said on June 2. “Not only am I going to come back, but I am going to come back sooner rather than later.”

Third base has been a revolving door in Wright’s absence, with Daniel Murphy, Eric Campbell and Ruben Tejada among the players who have started at the position. The Mets appear committed to Murphy at third base until Wright returns.

Even if Wright soon returns, the Mets are expected to continue searching for another bat before the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline. A top target remains Oakland’s Ben Zobrist.

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