David Wright heading to California for scheduled check-up on neck

David Wright is heading to California today to have a check-up on his surgically repaired neck. John Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reports that Wright’s appointment was scheduled after his spinal fusion surgery in June and doesn’t appear to be anything more than a routine visit. Wright is hopeful that the visit will provide a timetable for him to resume baseball activities.

Wright, the longest-tenured Met and the face of the franchise for over a decade, played only 37 games this season before undergoing surgery. While the surgery was not announced as season-ending initially, it would be very, very difficult for Wright to make it back in 2016.

Having a playoff roster without Wright on it seems like a cruel trick for the player and fans alike. Few players have better represented their team through good and bad, and Wright’s enthusiasm for winning was always palpable. Active or not, his presence in the dugout for any playoff game is still more or less guaranteed.

Once Wright does return, it remains to be seen what sort of role he will be playing for the team. In his time on the field this season, he hit .226/.350/.438 with 7 home runs and a 118 wRC+, though his defense at third base was quite bad. On top of his neck issues, Wright has also been battling spinal stenosis since early in the 2015 season. He’s under contract through 2020.