QUEENS, NY — David Wright, while not fully aware of the current dynamics within the New York Mets’ clubhouse, believes star shortstop Francisco Lindor possesses the qualities to become the club’s next captain.
“I love Francisco Lindor,” Wright expressed before his jersey number retirement ceremony on Saturday. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve gotten to know him. I love that he played hurt at the end of the season. I think it was a hand injury. No one knew because he wanted to be out there grinding with his team.”
Wright served as the Mets’ captain from 2013 to 2018, one of only four players in franchise history (alongside Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, and John Franco) to hold the role. The team has not appointed a captain since.
Lindor is seen as the logical choice to be the fifth captain, which would be fitting as Wright’s No. 5 was officially retired at Citi Field on Saturday, marking him as the 10th player/manager to receive such an honor.
The 31-year-old shortstop has become the uncontested leader of the Mets’ clubhouse during his four-plus seasons with the team, delivering memorable moments such as his postseason-clinching home run on the last day of the regular season in Atlanta last year, and his decisive grand slam in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field.
“I love his charisma, his smile,” Wright said. “Small things I notice, Francisco is the first to congratulate a teammate after a great play or a big hit, even when he’s having an off day, and I think that speaks volumes about someone’s character and leadership.”
Wright also mentioned Brandon Nimmo, one of the few current Mets who played with No. 5, as another potential captain candidate.
“I tell my son that’s how you should play the game,” Wright said of Nimmo, the veteran outfielder.
Nimmo is the longest-tenured Met, drafted in 2011 and debuting with the club in 2016.
“It’s surreal,” Nimmo remarked. “He was one of my mentors as I came up. He was the captain. Captain David Wright. He was the person you aspired to be like.”
Both Lindor and Nimmo exhibit the leadership qualities Wright valued during his career, having learned from mentors like Joe McEwing, Cliff Floyd, and Michael Cuddyer.
“The leaders I admired were those who led by example,” Wright said. “They weren’t the loudest or most boisterous. They worked the hardest, and when something needed saying, they did it privately. When they spoke up, people listened because they were not accustomed to frequent speaking.”
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com
