Mets' Alderson: Wright 'certainly thinks' 2017 return is realistic

Since the beginning of the 2015 season, New York Mets third baseman David Wright has played in only 75 games and hasn't taken the field once in 2017.

The seven-time All-Star has suffered from spinal stenosis, and has been on the disabled list with a shoulder impingement this season. Despite this, Wright and the team haven't ruled out a 2017 return.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson was non-commital on Wednesday.

"I don't know how many answers he will have or we will have through the end of the season," Alderson told MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. "I think this is an ongoing proposition. His condition has lasted for long enough for all of us I think to understand that it's something that's not going to be completely corrected. This is probably a condition that needs to be managed, rather than one that can be cured or corrected. So I'm not sure that anything in the short term is going to give us the complete answer. I know he wants to get back on the field before the end of the season. We'll see if that happens."

When asked if a Wright return was realistic in 2017, Alderson added, "he certainly thinks it is. I'm not going to sit here and tell him or tell you that it's not."

Third base has been a struggle for the Mets. Wednesday showcased this in a nutshell when the team announced both Wilmer Flores and Jose Reyes were scratched with sore rib cages.

Travis d'Arnaud was penciled in at the hot corner in their stead. In 340 career games, d'Arnaud has never played a position other than catcher, though he was used as a designated hitter once in 2014.

Before injuries took hold of Wright's career, he never played fewer than 100 games in a season from 2005 to 2014. In that time, he batted .298/.379/.492 with 216 home runs, 185 stolen bases, and 899 RBIs over 1,439 games.

Wright is signed through the 2020 season.