Among first-year candidates on the MLB Hall of Fame ballot is former captain and third baseman of the New York Mets, David Wright. As his career unfolded, Wright’s impact on the game and his consistency as a player became evident, but does he truly belong in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown?

Wright’s career, spanning from his debut in 2004 until his retirement in 2018, was defined by his loyalty to the Mets and his leadership both on and off the field. The seven-time All-Star consistently displayed excellence in both offensive and defensive aspects of the game. Yet, injuries sapped a lot of time from his big league clock putting his Hall of Fame prospects up in the air.

Originally drafted in the first round in 2001 by the Mets, Wright quickly rose through the system and became the face of the Mets franchise over the course of his 14-year career. All things considered with his career, he has the accolades and stats that give him some notoriety. He boasts a career slash line of .296/.376/.491, an OPS+ of 133, and totaled 1,777 hits, 970 RBI, and 242 home runs. At first glance he was a successful player over his career, but the game of what if still hangs over his head.

The complicating factor of his candidacy is the unfortunate string of injuries that plagued the latter part of his career. Spinal stenosis and other ailments limited his playing time and effectiveness on the field. He played in 1,595 games, managing at least 120 games in eight seasons, and at least 150 games in six seasons. However, from 2015 to 2018 he played in just 77 games total, including losing the entire 2017 season. There are at least 17 players in the Hall of Fame that played less games than Wright, but there are more than 600 players in the history of baseball that have played more, and many great players that aren’t in the Hall of Fame. An ability to stay of the field in his last few years will work against Wright, but should it tarnish what was an effective career prior to that?

No doubt voters will be lamenting what could have been for Wright when he seemed to be a player destined for the Hall of Fame early in his career. It’s not easy for a 21-year-old to find sustained success in one of the biggest markets in baseball, but Wright was able to do that and was a quiet star in baseball for a decade. In his healthy prime from 2005 to 2014, Wright played 1,439 games and batted .299/.379/.493 with 216 home runs and 899 RBI. During the stretch he had six 20+ home run campaigns and had five seasons of 100 or more RBI. He was named to seven All-Star teams and won two Silver Sluggers during that stretch, but the drop off after 2014 stunted the further growth of his stats.

A further look of his stats, however, showcase what made Wright so great on the field. While he wasn’t a prodigious slugger, he was a well rounded batter at the plate with impeccable vision. Wright had 18.8% strikeout rate to go along with an 11.1% walk rate. He was able to limit ground balls and relied plenty on line drives and fly balls to drive his success at the plate. Extra bases were plentiful and Wright was also an underated threat on the base paths. Once he got on base, he had nine seasons in which he stole at least 10 bases, including a career-high 34 stolen bases in 2007. His 133 wRC+ is nothing to scoff at and showcase how instrumental he was in a lineup when he was healthy.

Notably, Wright also possessed decent defensive skills at the hot corner. His two Gold Glove Awards (2007 and 2008) attest to his prowess in the field. He passes the eye test in many ways but advanced metrics weren’t too keen on his glove work, as he was attributed with -24 DRS at third base and a UZR/150 of -2.5, Wright still displayed a knack for fielding the position decently enough, but compared to some of the other gloves at the hot corner during his era, he was among the better options.

However, the Hall of Fame is not solely about individual achievements. It also considers a player’s impact on the game and their role in the success of their team.

Wright’s influence extended beyond his statistical contributions. Serving as the Mets’ captain from 2013 until his retirement, he became the face of the franchise. Through the highs and lows of the team’s seasons, Wright’s leadership and commitment to the organization were unwavering. He guided the Mets to the 2015 World Series, showcasing his ability to lead a team to the pinnacle of the sport.

To assess Wright’s Hall of Fame credentials, it’s essential to compare his career achievements with those of his contemporaries. Looking at other third basemen from his era, such as Adrian Beltre and Chipper Jones, provides context for evaluating Wright’s place in the pantheon of the position.

Adrian Beltre, a fellow third baseman who played during the same era as Wright and is a ballot newcomer as well, retired with over 3,000 hits and is widely regarded as one of the greatest third basemen in the history of the game. Chipper Jones, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, boasts impressive offensive numbers and a lengthy, successful career with the Atlanta Braves. Beltre is a lock for the Hall of Fame in his first year, but Wright falls well short of that comparison. Wright’s 49.1 rWAR does some heavy lifting but it still falls below the average career rWAR of players in the Hall of Fame.

While Wright’s statistics may not match those of Beltre or Jones, his well-rounded skill set and leadership role distinguish him in other ways. The fact he played his entire career with the Mets does mean something and carries some weight, even if the stats doesn’t necessarily tell a compelling argument, he goes down as one of the greatest Mets in franchise history.

The case for David Wright’s induction into the MLB Hall of Fame is complicated. The presence of injuries and the fact that his career statistics may fall short of some contemporaries pose challenges to his candidacy. In many ways Wright falls into a borderline candidate. He’s on the cusp of being a Hall of Famer by being a consistent and reliable player over a 10 year stretch, but did he do enough during that time to offset the last few years of his career?Ultimately, much like Matt Holliday, he may fall short of greatness, despiting being an incredible player. He may have to wait until a Veteran’s Committee vote in the future to be enshrined in Cooperstown.