David Wright was still around during Jacob deGrom’s first few seasons as a Met.
The All-Star third baseman was at the tail-end of his career as he battled through injuries, but he was still the captain of the club and made sure that he took the young starting pitcher under his wing.
That certainly left a lasting impression on deGrom.
Speaking at All-Star Media Day on Monday in Atlanta, the now Texas Rangers starter told reporters that he’s thrilled to see Wright’s No. 5 being lifted up into the Citi Field rafters later this week.
“David was awesome for me early in my career,” he said. “My first year in the major leagues my locker was right next to him, to have a guy like that and to be able to learn from him, there’s no telling where I’d be without that experience.
“I’m super happy for him his number is being retired, he’s one of the all-time great Mets.”
This is also a pretty big week for deGrom, as he's making his first All-Star appearance since 2021 as a Met.
After dealing with injuries over the past few years, the 37-year-old has stayed healthy and returned to his dominant form this year with Texas — pitching to a 2.32 ERA and 0.90 WHIP across 19 first-half outings.
The return to the festivities has presented him an opportunity to reconnect with some of his old teammates from the Big Apple.
“It was fun to see them,” he said. “You make a lot of friends in this game — I keep in touch with some of those guys still, so it’s good see them and say hello, I’m happy with what they’ve been able to do this year.”
One of those former teammates is Pete Alonso, who says it’s awesome to finally see deGrom back healthy and at the top of his game.
“With Jake feeling like himself, there’s never a doubt what his ceiling is,” he said. “He’s a guy that as long as he’s healthy he’s going to be a standout and one of the best in the world at what he does, so I’m super happy for him.
“Being a teammate of his for a long time, just seeing him overcome adversity and get his body right and be able to perform the way he has, it’s special — he’s a Hall of Fame talent and to see him find that success it’s just really special what he’s been able to do.”
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