UPDATE: David Wright took live batting practice on Wednesday as he progresses in his rehab, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
New York Mets third baseman David Wright was placed on the disabled list last week after suffering a strained hamstring on April 14 against the Philadelphia Phillies. The veteran may not be able to return when he's eligible on April 30.
Manager Terry Collins told reporters before last night's game against the Atlanta Braves that Wright started doing leg exercises as a part of his rehab. The next step would be getting in some baseball activities and Collins said the third baseman is "right on schedule," but that doesn't mean he'll be ready in eight days.
"Alderson reiterated Tuesday that Wright likely will need an extra week to be ready for a return. Given that timetable, he would miss about three weeks," writes Marc Craig of Newsday.
This comes one day after Alderson told reporters:
"He's on schedule. I wouldn't say he's ahead of schedule, but he's not behind schedule."
Less than one full day Wright suffered the strained hamstring and underwent an MRI that confirmed the injury, Alderson spoke to the media and admitted that the veteran could miss more time than his DL stint suggests.
"The indication was a mild sprain last night, and we were happy that the MRI confirmed that," Alderson said, via Maria Guardado of NJ.com. "Anytime there's a hamstring injury, it's almost an automatic couple of weeks, so hopefully this will be a two or three week proposition, but you never know. Hopefully with a mild strain he'll be back sooner than normal for these things. Two weeks would be great, three weeks probably an expectation."
Wright said he didn't want to take any chances and jeopardize his longevity for the 2015 season, which is the smart decision because the Mets will need him to be healthy when it matters most. The team is tied for the best record (11-3) in the MLB with the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals, so at this point the All-Star can take his time recovering and ensure he's fully healthy before returning.
Before hitting the DL, the 32-year-old was batting .333/.371/.424 with three runs scored, one home run, four RBIs and two stolen bases in eight games.
