The New York Mets celebrated franchise icon David Wright at Citi Field on Saturday prior to their matchup against the Cincinnati Reds. Wright was officially inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame and had his No. 5 jersey retired by the team.

During the ceremony, the organization presented Wright with a special gift. The Mets great received a customized mosaic of his No. 5 “made from photos of teammates, managers, coaches and many other special people who helped pave the path to today’s celebration,” per SNY.

Wright holds a special place in Mets fans’ hearts. Debuting in 2004, he bridged two important eras for the team – from the Mike Piazza/Al Leiter-led group that won the National League pennant in 2000, to the Jacob deGrom/Matt Harvey Mets that reached the World Series in 2015. From Shea Stadium to Citi Field.

Mets great David Wright receives well-earned celebration

Sep 29, 2018; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets third baseman David Wright (5) waves to the crowd after a game against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Wright spent his entire 14-year career with New York. He boasts a lifetime .296 batting average and .867 OPS. And Wright is the Mets’ all-time leader in hits (1,777), doubles (390), RBI (970), runs scored (949), total bases (2,945), walks (762) and bWAR (49.2).

Wright retired with the second-most home runs (242) in franchise history behind only Darryl Strawberry. However, Pete Alonso passed Wright on the all-time list earlier this season. Alonso is now just five homers away from tying Strawberry as the team’s leader.

While injuries marred the final years of Wright’s career, eventually forcing him to retire in 2018 at the age of 35, he was the face of the franchise and one of baseball’s brightest stars for a decade. Wright was a seven-time All-Star and won two Gold Gloves for his work at third base.

In addition to his excellent play, Wright is remembered for his competitive spirit. He’s still holding onto the Mets’ rivalry with the Philadelphia Phillies. When asked about playing New York’s NL East foe prior to his ceremony Saturday, Wright demonstrated the passion and personality that endeared him to fans.

“I love the atmosphere. I love the competitiveness. I love the rivalry. I don’t necessarily love the city or the people, though, or the players,” Wright quipped.

The Mets are hoping to honor Wright by bouncing back against the Reds after losing the series opener, 8-4. New York entered play on Saturday a half-game behind the division-leading Phillies.

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