David Wright was drafted by the Mets out of high school in 2001, made his MLB debut with them in 2004 and played the final game of his career wearing the same uniform in 2018.
He’s now set to have his No. 5 retired and be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame on July 19 at Citi Field as part of the only franchise he’s ever known.
He hopes Pete Alonso has the chance to do something similar.
Alonso, also a lifelong Met — for now — remains a free agent and his return to Queens is far from certain.
“I know it’s a different feeling when you’re drafted, developed and playing for the team that gave you your first opportunity,’’ Wright said during a Zoom call Wednesday. “There’s a little — maybe a lot — more pride when you put that jersey on. I hope he remembers that and doesn’t lose sight of that. With that being said, I’ve never, ever faulted a player for maximizing his earning potential and going to try to make a great living for him and his family. I can’t fault him for that.”
Alonso has spent much of his time with the Mets — like Wright — as one of, if not the, face of the franchise.
Like Wright, Alonso, 30, has lived through some lean years with the team.
Wright opted to stay with the Mets with an eight-year, $138 million extension early in the offseason prior to 2013, a year before he was due to hit free agency.
Although Wright joked Wednesday about not being as worthy of his jersey being retired as the other seven he’ll join, he ended up the franchise leader in games played, hits and doubles — and is second to Darryl Strawberry in home runs.
Alonso is almost certain to pass both Wright and Strawberry for that mark if he sticks around.
That’s far from a certainty, as The Post’s Joel Sherman reported Alonso turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension during the 2023 season.
He’s now one of the last significant free agents remaining on the market.
Speaking Wednesday, Wright said he was happy he only played for one team and that he wished more players would do the same — and that teams would let them.
“I wish there was more loyalty,’’ Wright said of the state of the game. “And when I say loyalty, it goes both ways. Some of the best times in regular season games that I loved were against Philadelphia and it was because of the proximity of the cities and fan base, but it was also because you had Jose [Reyes] and me for years battling Chase [Utley] and Ryan [Howard] and Shane [Victorino] and Jimmy [Rollins] and Cole [Hamels]. I think the game could use more of that. With that being said, it’s not just on the players to be loyal. It’s on the teams to be loyal.”
In Alonso’s case, there is interest on both sides in a reunion, but at different terms.
Count Wright among those who hope Alonso stays with the team that drafted him in 2016 and saw him break the rookie home run record in 2019.
“I remember what hit home big-time for me was when we were in Atlanta towards the end of Chipper [Jones’] tenure and seeing Chipper’s emotion and words, having spent his entire career in Atlanta,’’ Wright said. “And playing across town from Derek [Jeter], seeing how much it meant to him. I learned a lot from them from afar. I think that should be a consideration, and hopefully will be a consideration, to Pete when he’s looking for his next team or coming back to New York.”
For the 42-year-old Wright — who grew up a Mets fan in Virginia and now lives in Southern California, coaching his three children in sports — there are no regrets with his decision, although the contract didn’t work out as the Mets had hoped due to Wright’s ensuing back and neck injuries.
“I’m glad that I did that,’’ Wright said of remaining a Met. “Because losing in a Mets uniform for me was devastating, but winning in a Mets uniform for me was sweeter than anything else I could possibly imagine, because of the trials and tribulations and having gone through everything. And being a Met for life meant, for me, more than kind of a mercenary type player. But there’s nothing wrong with that.”
