Remembering David Wright's most iconic Mets moments

Wright began his journey as a Met being drafted out of high school, selected 38th overall in the 2001 MLB Draft. After climbing his way up through the minors for about three years, the third baseman made his debut in July 2004 at Shea Stadium against the Montreal Expos.

Although Wright went 0-for-4 in his first game, he doubled the next day for his first career hit. That double would be the first of many huge moments in his prosperous career.

Gold Glove Defense

Just one year later, Wright made one of the most memorable defensive plays of his career, and possibly of all time, in San Diego. On August 9th, 2005, Wright made an unbelievable leaping catch with his bare hand to take a hit away from Brian Giles. This play would go on to be named MLB.com's 2005 This Year in Baseball Play of the Year; it was also a harbinger for Wright's defensive prowess, as he won two consecutive Gold Gloves in 2007 and 2008.

Wright vs Rivera

Wright made Queens proud in 2006, when he had the chance to be the hero and give the Mets a Subway Series win at Shea. Facing Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer in baseball history, this task could have easily been too much pressure for a young infielder. Instead, Wright called game: a walk-off hit to deep center field brought in the winning run, making Wright the hero and giving the Mets a 7-6 win.

Wright Passes Kranepool on All-Time Hits List

On September 25, 2012, Wright passed Ed Kranepool as the Mets' all-time hits leader with an infield single against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The hit that gave him the record was a lucky one, but he continued to show his power and skill for several more years and extended his leaderboard high to 1,777 hits.

Wright's Return to the Bigs

It is no secret that Wright struggled with his health, and that is what ultimately led to the premature ending to his fantastic career. In 2015, Wright spent four months on the injured list with what was originally thought to be just a hamstring injury. He was later diagnosed with spinal stenosis, and it was unknown if he would ever play again. Fortunately, he made it back to the Mets in August.

Wright walked up to the plate in his first game back off of the injured list, this time in Philadelphia. In his first at-bat back in uniform, Wright unloaded a homer straight to the second deck; it was a perfect return for the Captain.

The Captain in the World Series

Perhaps Wright's most iconic home run came in Game 3 of the 2015 World Series, as the Mets hosted the Kansas City Royals. In the bottom of the first inning, Wright hit a two-run home run to left field that gave the Mets a 2-1 lead and amplified the home crowd. He would go on to drive in another two runs as New York coasted to a 9-3 win. This was the only victory the Mets had in the series.

The Final Farewell

Wright played his final game on September 29, 2018; he only played two games in the 2018 season, with spinal stenosis keeping him from his full ability for the last several seasons of his career. Wright took the field by himself before his final game, receiving an ovation like no other from the Mets faithful that will forever know him as the Captain.

David Wright will receive the ultimate honor and celebration from the Mets organization and fans on Saturday. His number will finally be retired and will live at the tops of Citi Field forever, cementing his beloved status as the Captain of the New York Mets.