Mets' Wright will not undergo back surgery, expects to return this season

David Wright is optimistic that he'll be back in the New York Mets lineup, but he doesn't know when - and neither does anyone else in the organization.

In a press conference Tuesday, Wright said doctors told him that, at 32 years old, he's too young to have back surgery.

While that can be taken as good news, it also complicates his timetable for recovery. Still, the third baseman can see himself back on the diamond as early as this season.

"There's never been a question in my mind that not only am I going to come back, but I'm going to sooner rather than later," he said, adding that the issue goes beyond his ability to play the sport.

"We're not just talking about playing baseball," Wright said. "We're talking about walking and standing and being pain-free."

Wright hasn't played since straining his hamstring in mid-April. During his rehab, he suffered a setback, citing back discomfort as the issue. But two weekends ago, as Wright seemed to be on the cusp of returning, the club announced he'd been diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis.