David Wright Unsure of Status for Season with Back, Shoulder Injuries

New York Mets third baseman David Wright admitted Saturday he's not sure whether he'll play during the 2018 MLB season after dealing with consistent injury problems in recent years.

Bill Whitehead of the Associated Press passed along comments Wright, who missed the entire 2017 campaign and played just 75 games over the prior two years combined, made about his status.

"I'm going to give it my best shot, certainly," he said. "I probably have a lot of the same questions you're asking me and a lot of people are asking of me. I just don't know. It's certainly been an uphill climb for me. To honestly answer your question, I just don't know. I'd love to play, but my body's got to hold up and have to cooperate with me a little bit."

The 35-year-old Virginia native's 2016 season was cut short by neck surgery. Before he could fully recover from that ailment, he was diagnosed with a shoulder injury, which ultimately required a procedure on his right rotator cuff in September.

He'd previously missed most of 2015 because of spinal stenosis.

Wright noted Saturday he's taking the rehabilitation slow with hope of avoiding any more issues.

"We want to make sure that when we progress to these steps that it's not going to do anything that will kind of set us back. So for now we're in the rehab process," he said. "I guess baby steps are still steps in the right direction."

New York can't be sure what type of player he'll be even if he gets back on the field, though.

The seven-time All-Star selection, who's spent his entire career with the Mets, posted a career-worst .698 OPS with only eight home runs in 134 games during the 2014 season.

In turn, the front office fortified the position by signing Todd Frazier to a two-year, $17 million contract in early February. He'll likely see a majority of the starts at third base this season, regardless of whether or not Wright is eventually able to play.