Wright to miss at least 3 more weeks

The bad news just keeps coming for the Mets.

Minutes after their 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Friday night, a grim-faced Sandy Alderson entered the postgame briefing room and announced that the team will be without David Wright for at least another three weeks because of a stress fracture in his back.

"The doctor said he has to remain essentially inactive but for core exercises for another three weeks," the Mets' general manager said. "So we will be without David for that period of time."

Wright suffered the injury April 19 while diving to tag the Astros' Carlos Lee, who was sliding into third base. Wright continued to play three more weeks, then went on the disabled list May 16 after the fracture was diagnosed.

On Friday, he went to see Dr. Patrick O'Leary, a specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, and hoped he would get the go-ahead to amp up his rehabilitation. Instead, he was given a red light.

Alderson said there were no additional tests Friday and that the diagnosis was made from the original X-ray.

Wright said the doctors originally told him he had to be out six weeks, but there was some confusion as to when that six-week period started.

"I was hopeful that the six weeks might have started from the time of the injury and not after I stopped playing," he said. "It might have been wishful thinking that it was healing itself while I was still playing."

Wright said he has not been feeling any pain in his back. He will need to get X-rays again in three weeks before he is cleared to start working out, meaning it could be early July, Alderson said, before he is back in the lineup.

It was clear that Wright thought he was ready to get back on the field.

Said Wright: "I'm still optimistic, though disappointed. At some point, you have to understand that the doctor's point of view, and everybody else's point of view except for mine, is that you can't rush this."