Mets’ David Wright having neck surgery in California

New York Mets David Wright will miss an extended period of the season as he recovers from surgery for a herniated disc in his neck.

The defending National League champion Mets (35-29) were in second place in the NL East, five games behind the Washington Nationals heading into Thursday’s game against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.

According to ESPN, Wright made use of anti-inflammatory injections in addition to rest and rehab in failed attempts to pursue a recovery route that circumvented surgery.

Dr. Robert Watkins will perform the surgery. I greatly appreciate the support of my teammates and our fans throughout the last few weeks.

The surgery is likely to keep Wright out for the remainder of the season.

Wright’s decision to undergo surgery gives Alderson and the team’s decision makers more clarity about what their third base options are this season, and the executives can be more aggressive on the trade market if they feel that’s the best avenue to take.

Hecht, who works on spinal injuries with the New York Jets and New York Islanders, noted that athletes typically make full recoveries after the procedure.

Wright is signed through 2020, although it seems unlikely he will ultimately be able to complete that contract on the field.

The 33-year-old played only 38 games last season with back problems, and is now expected to sidelined for at least three months after the operation. Wright’s contract, which pays him as much as $20 million annually, is insured. One has to assume that neck surgery in the middle of June is season ending and, frankly, given Wright’s recent injury, I can’t help but wonder how close this will be to career ending.

In Wright’s absence, Wilmer Flores has been getting regular action at third base and has excelled with the increased playing time.