Syndergaard throws another live BP
LOS ANGELES -- A small army gathered outside the Dodger Stadium batting cage late Saturday morning, all there to watch Noah Syndergaard throw to hitters for the second time since his most recent shutdown in May. Mets acting general manager Zack Scott was present for the session. So was manager Luis Rojas, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, a smattering of analytics and medical staffers, and several Mets pitchers.
The show itself was brief but potentially impactful. Syndergaard threw 20 pitches, topping out around 94-95 mph on the radar gun, according to one team official. Asked about his potential next step, Syndergaard shrugged, saying: “We’ll figure it out.” Assuming his recovery goes well, Syndergaard should at least be drawing close to a Minor League rehab assignment -- the final step before his return from Tommy John surgery.
The Mets could also choose to have Syndergaard face hitters again before advancing him to a rehab assignment.
“He looked good,” said Francisco Lindor, who stood in the box for the live BP session. “His velo is obviously probably not where he wants it, but he’s still got some time. The fastball looked firm from my point of view. His fastball would move when he wanted to make it move, and his changeup had some good depth. I like where he’s at right now.”
Lindor put two balls in play among Syndergaard’s 20 pitches, hitting both to the right-center-field gap. A second hitter, Luis Guillorme, hit a firm grounder up the middle and a bloop over shortstop. Otherwise, the two simply tracked Syndergaard’s pitches.
A stalwart of the Mets’ rotation from 2015-19, Syndergaard underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2020. The Mets had originally hoped that he would return in June, but a bout of elbow discomfort during his initial rehab assignment prompted a shutdown in mid-May.
Now, Syndergaard will remain sidelined until September, which is rapidly approaching. Once the hard-throwing right-hander does return, it is likely to be as a reliever, given the lack of time available to stretch him back out as a starter.
Double-play duo nearing return
As for Lindor, the shortstop went through a complete battery of hitting, fielding and baserunning work on Saturday in addition to his live BP session. Rojas said the morning was important to determine whether Lindor and Javier Báez can return on Sunday from a strained right oblique and a bout of back spasms, respectively.
Asked if he feels ready, Lindor put things in the hands of the Mets’ medical staff but added: “I would love to play. I don’t know. We’ll see what the trainers have and what the organization has. I would love to come [Sunday]. I want to be out there and grind with the boys.”
Báez said he also feels physically ready to return on Sunday, saying, “It’s up to the team.” At the latest, both players should be back in the lineup by Tuesday, when the Mets open a nine-game homestand against the Giants.
Once they do return, Lindor will take over everyday shortstop duties while Báez will become the Mets’ regular second baseman. Those moves will force the Mets to shift Jeff McNeil either to third base or left field, potentially resulting in small losses of playing time for him, J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith.