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A 4-0 lead with the God of Thunder on the mound is supposed to be safe. But last night, Noah Syndergaard could only watch as the Nationals circled the bases around him, and the four-run deficit his teammates had built for him slipped away in one half of an inning.
By the time he departed following only three innings of work, Syndergaard had allowed seven hits, five earned runs, and three walks; not exactly the numbers the Mets’ hot young rotation is known to put up. After the game, word spread that a bone spur was afflicting the 23-year-old, but the 23-year-old in question wasn’t so sure, according to ESPN’s Adam Rubin.
Noah Syndergaard also reportedly has a bone spur, although he may be able to wait until after the season to address it. Syndergaard flatly denied the existence of the spur, though.
The injury would be something of a contained epidemic at the moment, as Syndergaard’s fellow Mets starter Stephen Matz is dealing with the same issue, though with far less denial. The Mets have been more open about Matz’s situation, confirming that the spur is in there, and preparing Logan Verrett at Triple A for a possible start on Wednesday should Matz wind up scratched. The surgery needed to correct the issue would be season-ending (which is probably why the team is so reluctant to label Syndergaard’s injury).
Syndergaard has made 15 starts for the Metropolitans this season, throwing 94.0 IP. In that span, he’s amassed a 2.49 ERA and allowed only 15 walks, making him one of the Mets’ top assets on the mound and placing him among the top ten hurlers in the league. His 11.4 SO/9 and 7.67 SO/W numbers are a godsend to any rotation and his loss would add to the debilitating list of casualties the Mets have suffered this season, fading them further and further out of the playoff picture.
With a little less exposure, Matz has put up decent numbers as well. In 13 starts, he’s got a 3.29 ERA, also allowing only 15 walks, but in 76.2 innings of work. Mets GM Sandy Alderson will meet the team in Washington today to determine the 25-year-old’s fate.