Noah Syndergaard Goes To DL With Partial Tear of Lat Muscle

Posted on May 1, 2017, by Bryan Zarpentine

New York Mets Noah Syndergaard

Image via usatoday.com

April didn’t exactly go as planned for the New York Mets, and May has not gotten off to a good start for the club either. On Monday, the Mets placed ace Noah Syndergaard on the 10-day DL with a partial tear of his right lat muscle. The move comes one day after Syndergaard gave up five runs in 1.1 innings against the Washington Nationals before leaving with an injury.

“Pitcher Noah Syndergaard underwent an MRI this morning at the Hospital for Special Surgery. The MRI revealed a partial tear of the right lat muscle,” the Mets said Monday in a statement. “At this point, there is no timeframe for his return. He will be placed on the 10-day disabled list.”

Syndergaard was scratched from a start last Thursday because of soreness in his biceps and shoulders. The team asked him to undergo an MRI to check on the problem, but Syndergaard refused the scan, insisting that he didn’t need it and would be ready to pitch on Sunday. It remains to be seen whether his trouble with his biceps and shoulder earlier in the week led to Syndergaard injuring his lat muscle, but the timing of it is certainly suspicious.

Mets GM Sandy Alderson commented earlier in the week that he couldn’t “tie him up and throw him in a tube,” referring to Syndergaard’s refusal to get an MRI. He said that he spoke to Syndergaard after Sunday’s game but that he did ask if the pitcher now regrets not getting the MRI.

“We asked him how it felt. He felt fine, said he could have pitched on turn last time out then we took him at face value, but he also threw a pen and felt fine,” Alderson said Sunday. “So on the basis of that input as well as his own comments he was good to go.”

Alderson also said that Syndergaard threw a bullpen on Friday in preparation for Sunday’s start and that no one who watched the bullpen had reason to keep him from pitching on Sunday. However, Mets catcher Rene Rivera described Syndergaard as “overthrowing” on Sunday, as he regularly hit 99 and 100 mph on the radar gun.

The Mets don’t have a timeline for when Syndergaard will be able to return, although he could end up having an extended stint on the DL. Mets lefty Steven Matz had a partial tear of his lat muscle in 2015 and ended up spending two months on the DL. The Mets are hopeful that Syndergaard won’t be out quite that long. Syndergaard now

Syndergaard now joins Matz and Seth Lugo as Mets starters who are currently on the DL. The Mets haven’t announced who will fill Syndergaard’s spot in the rotation, although the options are fairly limited. Long man Sean Gilmartin and Rafael Montero, who began the season in New York’s bullpen but has since made two solid starts at triple-A, are the top options.

With Matz and Lugo on the shelf, Robert Gsellman struggling early in the year, Zack Wheeler still finding his way after missing two full seasons, and Matt Harvey coming off a rough start last week, Syndergaard was helping to hold New York’s rotation together. The Mets lineup is also missing a few key pieces with Yoenis Cespedes and Lucas Duda on the DL and David Wright yet to make his season debut. With all the Mets struggles over the first month of the season and Syndergaard now lost for the foreseeable future, the Mets are definitely entering a danger zone in their season, as injuries to star players continue to pile up.

Sports Betting Picks | NFL Odds | NFL Picks | Betting Tips | Picks | Contact Us
This content is only suitable for ages 18+. Please gamble responsibly and never wager more than your personal limit. For help with gambling addiction or finding a treatment facility visit The American Addiction Center
Play responsibly