PHILADELPHIA -- David Wright began throwing on Friday for the first time since doctors diagnosed him in February with an impingement in his shoulder. But Wright remains "a ways away" from game action, according to Mets assistant general manager John Ricco.
When doctors diagnosed Wright with an impingement, they told the third baseman to rest two to four weeks before starting a throwing program. It actually took Wright 5 1/2 weeks of rest and strengthening exercises before he began throwing.
For now, Wright's program is limited to soft tosses. He will gradually throw with increasing velocity, combining that with fielding drills and batting practice before advancing to Minor League rehab games. In addition to the impingement in his shoulder, which formed during his recovery from neck surgery, Wright will play through spinal stenosis, a back condition, for the rest of his career.
Still, the Mets are hopeful Wright can contribute to them at some point this summer. The team captain, Wright appeared in 75 games over the past two seasons, batting .260 with 12 home runs and an .801 OPS. In his absence, Jose Reyes is playing third base on a regular basis for the Mets, though his 1-for-23 start has led to early calls for T.J. Rivera or Wilmer Flores to receive more playing time.
Wright is in the fifth season of an eight-year, $138 million deal that guarantees him another $67 million through 2020.
Worth noting
• The Mets expect outfielder Juan Lagares (strained left oblique) to play in Minor League games on Monday and Wednesday. The club wants him to complete back-to-back nine-inning games before it will consider activating him. That process should take until the end of this weekend.
• The Mets lost utility man Ty Kelly on a waiver claim to the Blue Jays. Kelly, 28, hit .237 in 40 games from 2016-17. He cleared waivers when the Mets designated him for assignment over the offseason, but he did not pass through unclaimed when the Mets DFA'd him a second time last week, demoting Kelly to make room for reliever Paul Sewald.