Just like old times: Reyes, Wright share the field
Longtime Mets teammates play together for likely the last time
NEW YORK -- The night was all about David Wright, but his longtime teammate and friend, Jose Reyes, soaked up everything he could playing next to the Mets' captain likely for the last time in front of a sellout crowd of 43,928 fans at Citi Field on Saturday.
To begin the night, Wright took the field alone. He jogged out to third base, kicked the bag and saluted the crowd. Reyes was next to exit the dugout. He ran straight to third base and gave Wright a hug while the crowd at Citi Field remained on their feet applauding the duo.
"I told him before the game, I said, 'I'm going to play the line and you've got everything else,'" Wright said. "And he did that. I'm trying to focus out there and he's just jawing with me the entire game and it brought back so many memories."
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With Reyes batting in the leadoff spot and Wright in the three-hole, it was just like old times. When his name was announced and the stadium was rocking, Reyes took it all in and let emotions take over, crushing a leadoff double. Jeff McNeil followed with a sacrifice bunt to move him to third base. Wright was up with one out and Reyes on third.
Wright worked the count to 3-2 and ultimately drew a walk, then Michael Conforto hit into a double play, taking the wind out of everyone's sails. But it was still a sight to see the duo back in the top of the lineup together, bringing back countless memories to many Mets fans.
"That first inning, you couldn't have [drawn] it up any better," Wright said. "[Reyes] hits a double, which probably 14 years ago was a triple, and then you get him over and all I need to do was get him in. And I got a pitch to do it and fouled it off, but I drew the walk. It was really cool walking up to the plate, seeing him on third, one out. ... It was a really neat experience to share this with him."
The top of the second inning was just as exhilarating for the pair. Reyes had back-to-back putouts at shortstop, while Wright handled a grounder to third and threw it to first for the last out of the inning, and the stadium erupted in cheers like it hadn't all season.
After Wright popped out in foul territory down the first-base line in the fourth inning for what was likely the final out of his career, the duo ran out to their respective positions together one last time. Wright waved to the crowd, then looked to Reyes and gave him one more hug and held him in his arms before running over to acknowledge the rest of his teammates and Mets organization.