New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway updated the team’s press corps on the status of right-hander Noah Syndergaard ahead of Monday’s series opener in Atlanta.
In a video posted by Matt Ehalt of Yahoo Sports, the Mets’ second-year skipper defines his 26-year-old flamethrower’s injury as a low-grade hamstring strain.
According to various reports, Syndergaard was scheduled to perform agility drills and play catch at SunTrust Field on Monday, telling reporters he was in “tip-top shape”.
Syndergaard owns a 4.55 ERA and 3.62 FIP, with 8.81 strikeouts per nine innings (a would-be career-low), 2.27 walks per nine innings, and an 11.8% HR/FB ratio — his highest mark since his rookie season (14.3% HR/FB) — through 15 starts (95 innings).
During the top of the seventh inning on Saturday, the Texan called for the Mets’ training staff, was seen grabbing at his right hamstring, and was clearly in pain walking off the field.
After receiving an MRI on Sunday morning, neither player nor manager would comment on the results to the media, with Syndergaard reportedly avoiding the media at all costs.
On Monday, the Mets’ manager finally gave some insight as to what the situation was with one of his more prominent starting pitchers.
“Obviously, [Syndergaard] will miss his next start because we put him on the IL,” Callaway said (via Ehalt; link above). “And we’ll just continue to evaluate him.”
Callaway declined to name a replacement for Syndergaard in the Mets’ rotation but alluded to “several internal options” that the organization would continue to mull over.
Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that right-hander Wilmer Font‘s name has come up as a “very intriguing option” to make a spot start.
Font, 29, owns a 1.35 ERA and 0.75 WHIP over 6.2 innings pitched in June, all in relief. Seth Lugo, as per Callaway (via DiComo), is “not a candidate” to start.
We’ll keep you posted as new information becomes available.
