Feb 28, 2017 3 min read

Mets captain David Wright has returned from spring training to New York, been diagnosed with impingement in his right shoulder and was told not to throw for two weeks.

The team says the third baseman was examined Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery after feeling discomfort. He will be re-evaluated after the two weeks, and could be a designated hitter then.

The 34-year-old, a seven-time All-Star, has been limited to 75 regular-season games during the past two seasons. He was on the disabled list from April 15 to Aug. 24, 2015, when he strained his right hamstring and then developed spinal stenosis. He returned and helped the Mets win their first NL pennant since 2000. Last season, he was batting .226 with seven homers, 14 RBIs and 55 strikeouts in 137 at-bats through May 27 when he was sidelined by neck pain. He had season-ending surgery June 16 to repair a herniated disk.

Nationals sign Blanton: Setup man Joe Blanton and the Washington Nationals agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because the agreement had not been announced.

The 36-year-old Blanton was a free agent after pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, when the right-hander went 7-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 80 innings across 75 regular-season appearances. He then went 1-0 and allowed only one hit in five scoreless innings in four games for LA during an NL Division Series victory over Washington.

Pitchless walks coming soon: Pitchless intentional walks could start in spring training games this week.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said the change, which the players’ association has said it will agree to for 2017, is among the rule changes that have been distributed to teams. Modifications to video review rules for this season include time limits for managers to request a review and for the review umpire in New York to make a decision.

Under the change to the intentional walk rule, a team can signal for an intentional walk without pitches being thrown. Manfred said Major League Baseball staff has been going over the changes with teams, and the new intentional walk rule probably will go into effect this week.

Rangers’ Hamilton out: Josh Hamilton’s bid to make the Texas Rangers’ opening day roster has ended after yet another surgery on his balky left knee.

Hamilton had an arthroscopic procedure Monday in Houston to repair some damaged meniscus cartilage in his left knee after experiencing pain last week while running at training camp. There were no issues with the surgically repaired ACL in that knee.

The 2010 AL MVP, in camp on a minor league contract, faces six weeks of rehabilitation before he will be able to start running again, then would need several weeks or more of baseball activity to be ready to play in games.