Baseball notebook: Mets’ Wright feeling better
The most frightening moment for David Wright came an instant before he got hit in the head. It was the moment he braced for impact, knowing he had no time to dodge that 94 mph fastball.
“For the most part I remember everything,” Wright said. “I think it was more scary than anything. You see the ball coming, you know what’s going to happen before it happens.”
Wright returned to Citi Field on Monday and said he felt better, two days after he was hit flush on the helmet by a heater from San Francisco pitcher Matt Cain.
The New York Mets four-time All-Star was diagnosed with a concussion and spent Saturday night in a hospital before being released Sunday. The third baseman was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his six-year career.
Wright said he was “embarrassed” to be on the DL because he wants to be on the field fighting for wins with his teammates. But he’s confident he’ll return to the Mets’ injury-depleted lineup this season.
New York reliever Billy Wagner, coming off major elbow surgery, also rejoined the team Monday and is expected to be activated from the disabled list Friday.
But infielder Alex Cora, who had been filling in for injured Jose Reyes at shortstop, will have separate operations to repair ligaments in both thumbs. He likely will miss the rest of the season.
Nationals ink No. 1 pick Strasburg
In negotiations that went right to the deadline, No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals agreed to a record-breaking contract worth about $15 million over four years.
The San Diego State pitcher’s deal is worth roughly 50 percent more than the previous highest guaranteed deal for a player in baseball’s amateur draft, the $10.5 million Mark Prior got from the Chicago Cubs in 2001.
Clearing the bases
The Orioles traded first baseman Aubrey Huff to the Tigers for Class A right-handed reliever Brett Jacobson. … John Smoltz has been released by the Red Sox. . Smoltz was designated for assignment Aug. 7 and the team had until Monday to trade, release or send him to the minors.