New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said on Thursday that right-handed starter Noah Syndergaard may not begin his throwing program for another four weeks.
Syndergaard, 24, hasn’t pitched since April 30 because of a partial tear of his right lat muscle.
The Mets ace was 1-2 with a 3.29 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 32 strikeouts in 27.1 innings before landing on the disabled list with the lat injury.
Original Post – June 8
This morning, Noah Syndergaard appeared on Boomer and Carton. During the promotional visit for Cholulua Hot Sauce, Syndergaard addressed his injury and the rehabilitation process.
While it wasn’t unexpected news, Syndergaard indicated there is no timetable on his return. With Syndergaard not having been able to even pick up a ball since he departed from his ill-fated April 30th start, Syndergaard’s ability to return to the Mets during the 2017 season is certainly in doubt.
“I have no pain right now, but I want to make sure my lat is nice and stretched out and flexible before I’m ready to go,” he said.
And despite all of this, Syndergaard stated he will not be deviating from the offseason training and weight lifting regiment many, including former Rangers pitching coach Tom House, say led to the lat injury. According to Syndergaard, he is following the model of how former Met and fellow Texan Nolan Ryan trained for each season. As Syndergaard noted, Ryan pitched until he was 46-years-old.
It should also be noted, Syndergaard has no regrets on how the injury was handled. That includes his not getting an MRI. In defense of this, Syndergaard noted he had a pain free bullpen prior to the April 30th start. On the bright side, Syndergaard did say there were not hard feelings between him and the organization over the incident. Even better, Syndergaard trusts the organization more now.
Believe it or not, the injuries have not been a topic of conversation among the Mets starting pitchers. Rather, the group remains a positive tight-knit group that cheer each other on from the side bullpens to their stretch on the mound.
On a more light-hearted note, Syndergaard dispelled the conspiracy theories that he was the man in the Mr. Met costume that day, and he presented bewilderment on how anyone with four fingers could have a middle finger. He also stated he is watching Mets games either from the dugout or on his couch during road trips.
Overall, the interview left the impression that Syndergaard is fully invested in being a member of the New York Mets for the long haul. Despite this setback, Syndergaard believes he is doing what he needs to do in order to have a long and healthy career.
