The Mets celebrated the best third baseman in their history, just as they are revisiting the bad old days at the position.
The No. 5 of the beloved David Wright was retired Saturday, but I am here to write that the Mets still haven’t gotten it right for any sustained period at third base since the last captain’s heyday.
Famously, the Mets played a staggering 121 players at third from Don Zimmer in 1962 through 1997, with only a Wayne Garrett here or a Howard Johnson there keeping it from being utterly bleak. But mainly it was a revolving door of Butch Huskeys and Lenny Randles and Roy Staigers.
It is why it feels like the 2025 Mets are paying homage to that time and not Wright, who heard multiple standing ovations during the festivities. Consider that since Mark Vientos returned from a right hamstring strain on June 27, the Mets were playing their 17th game on Saturday. Brett Baty had started five games at third in that time, Ronny Mauricio six and Vientos six.