David Wright’s stomach churned so much Friday night as he waited for his chance to hit, he braced for the worst: an on-deck-circle puking.
It was the bottom of the fifth inning at Citi Field, and Wright was receiving a standing ovation as he prepared for his first major-league at-bat in 28 months. This was the same kind of ovation he had received an inning earlier when he initially appeared on deck.
“I really felt butterflies that I had never felt before,” Wright said after the Mets’ 8-1 loss to the Marlins. “I think I was pretty close to throwing up on deck. I know I dropped my bat, and I never just let the bat fly. I had to walk a couple of steps to pick the bat back up.”
The Mets captain was finally back in a game. His walk to the batter’s box lasted about as long as his pinch-hitting appearance. Wright hit a sharp grounder to third base on the first pitch he saw from Marlins right-hander Jose Urena and was retired.
Making contact on a 96-mph fastball sure felt like success to Wright, whose young daughters Olivia and Madison got to see their dad play for the first time.
“You make the out and you are like, ‘Man, if the pitch was just a little higher, I could have done something with it,’ ” Wright said. “But that’s probably the only time in my career that making an out put a smile on my face at least.”
Wright’s next and final scheduled stop in his major league career: third base on Saturday.
The long-awaited farewell for Wright is set for Saturday night, when an anticipated sellout crowd will salute the third baseman on his career, sending him to post-baseball life with a final memory.
Wright told The Post on Friday he will have 70-75 guests present for his finale, which will likely consist of two at-bats against the Marlins. The preliminary itinerary includes 2-year-old Olivia Wright throwing out the ceremonial first pitch — with Wright’s father, Rhon, as the recipient.
“It’s going to be surreal for me,” he said. “To run out there on the field and I’m going to tell Steve Matz to please don’t let them hit it to me.”
After Saturday’s game, Wright will address the crowd and receive a 3 ¹/₂ -minute tribute video. He is not expected to play in Sunday’s season finale.
“[Friday] was a neat moment,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “These guys care about David, because David has kind of led them for a long time. Even when he hasn’t played, he has been around and everybody knows he is the captain. It was pretty cool to see that, how everybody responds to the situation.”
Wright’s pinch-hit appearance Friday was his first major league action since May 27, 2016. He had homered in his previous three games.
The 35-year-old Wright, who is battling spinal stenosis, appeared in 12 minor-league rehab games last month. He spent 3 ½ weeks working out with the Mets before his activation from the disabled list on Tuesday, but was not utilized in a three-game series against the Braves.
Jose Reyes, in his probable last start for the Mets, is scheduled to start at shortstop, and play most — if not all — of the game. Wright and Reyes last played side-by-side on Sept. 28, 2011, a game in which Reyes bunted for a single in his first at-bat and was removed, ensuring he would win the National League batting title.
Wright will bat third, and Callaway told The Post he plans to use Reyes in the leadoff spot. Reyes was the leadoff hitter for the majority of his Mets career.
“I told [Reyes] today he would be batting leadoff, and he was grinning ear to ear,” Callaway said.
Wright will not officially retire — he is owed $27 million over the next two seasons. But the Mets are expected to negotiate a settlement with their insurer on Wright’s contract that will pay the team a lump sum. The Mets recovered 75 percent of Wright’s salary through insurance while he was on the disabled list.
“To soak in and enjoy the moment I think is my goal for [Saturday],” Wright said. “A hit wouldn’t hurt. But my expectations are low, so I will be smiling, hits or outs.”