David Wright now eligible to play for Mets

NEW YORK -- Hanging on a hook in David Wright's locker, above the baseball spikes and opposite the helmets of his favorite football teams, the New York Giants and Virginia Tech Hokies, was a blue and orange Mets cap and white jersey with pinstripes.

No. 5 as always, with his name across the back.

And for the first time in nearly two-plus years, Wright was ready to grant himself the privilege of putting it on.

"When I'm hurt, I never put my uniform on. I wear a hoodie or something like that," he said. "So to put that thing on again means the world to me, and is something that you tend to take for granted."

After countless hours of rehab during an arduous comeback, Wright was reinstated from the disabled list Tuesday and added to New York's active roster for the first time since June 3, 2016. Following a long road back from a string of serious injuries, the 35-year-old team captain was eligible off the bench against NL East champion Atlanta.

"To say it's a good feeling is an understatement. It's been a long time coming and I can't wait to put that jersey on tonight, for sure," Wright said. "A lot of time, a lot of hard work. ... The support that I've received the last couple weeks has been indescribable."

Wright is scheduled to start at third base in his farewell game Saturday night against Miami.

"I'm real nervous, I'll tell you that. I'm real excited. Got the butterflies going. It's going to be a weird, yet fulfilling feeling," he said. "I want to put on as good a show as I possibly can -- and at the same time soak it all in."

Mets manager Mickey Callaway confirmed longtime teammate and friend Jose Reyes will start alongside Wright at shortstop on Saturday.

"I'm going to try to allow myself to get in the moment," Wright said. "I'll take it all in while I'm out there as much as I can."

Assistant general manager John Ricco said it was unlikely Wright would play during the three-game series against the Braves because they're trying to earn home-field advantage in the division series, and the Mets don't want to compromise the integrity of the pennant race.

It's possible Wright could pinch hit in a lopsided game, though.

Heavy rain fell much of Tuesday, and the series opener began in front of a sparse crowd following a 32-minute delay.

Wright and Callaway have both expressed a desire to get the seven-time All-Star a plate appearance or two ahead of Saturday. So it seems Friday night against the last-place Marlins is most likely.

"I hope to go out there and do something that doesn't embarrass me, but it's going to be difficult, not having an at-bat for a while," Wright said.

Wright hasn't played in the majors since May 27, 2016, due to neck, back and shoulder injuries that required surgery. He homered in his last three games before going on the DL.

Also Tuesday, Ricco said he fully anticipates that rookie skipper Callaway will come back next year despite New York's disappointing season.

Ricco might not be the one making that call, though. He has been running baseball operations along with special assistants J.P. Ricciardi and Omar Minaya since GM Sandy Alderson stepped down in late June after his cancer returned. New York plans to hire a new general manager after the season, and the search is expected to include external candidates.

Ricco said chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and his father, owner Fred Wilpon, will lead the GM search and he'll do whatever they need him to do.

Asked on Tuesday if he considers himself a candidate for the job, Ricco said: "Right now, no."

Callaway is under contract through 2020. The former Cleveland Indians pitching coach was hired last October to replace Terry Collins after the Mets finished 70-92 in 2017.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.