Seaver statue dedication set for July 22

NEW YORK -- The Mets have scheduled their Tom Seaver statue dedication for July 22 at Citi Field, according to a person with knowledge of the plans. The ceremony will take place on an off-day before the Mets' first homestand after the break, allowing members of the Mets organization and Seaver's family to be present.

The Mets commissioned the statue in 2019, announcing plans for it on the same day they revealed that Citi Field's address would change to 41 Seaver Way. Groundbreaking for the statue has already begun near the Home Run Apple outside the ballpark's main entrance.

Mets players are wearing No. 41 uniform patches this year to honor Seaver, who passed last Aug. 31 following years of health problems, including a battle with dementia. He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer and remains the Mets' all-time leader in most major statistical categories, including wins, strikeouts and ERA.

"He was a true professional," former teammate Jerry Koosman said upon Seaver's passing.

The Mets have become more cognizant of recognizing their history in recent years, with the Seaver statue serving as a centerpiece to those plans. The Mets also plan to retire Koosman's No. 36, which they had intended to do last summer before COVID-19 interfered. That ceremony is now tentatively scheduled for September.

In the second half of the season, the Mets will also induct three new members into their team Hall of Fame: Jon Matlack, Ron Darling and Edgardo Alfonzo.