Mets’ Noah Syndergaard leaves with arm fatigue in fifth inning
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NEW YORK — New York Mets manager Terry Collins sat in a familiar situation on Friday night, fielding questions about yet another injury to his prized starting rotation.
Noah Syndergaard, the ace of New York's staff, left his start against the Nationals after being examined by a trainer during the fifth inning, with what the team called “arm fatigue,” unrelated to the bone spur the righthander is currently pitching through.
Syndergaard allowed three runs on four hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings, and delivered his last pitch, a fastball, at an uncharacteristically low 91 mph. After noticing a clear lack of velocity throughout the evening, Collins went to check on him.
“He just said his arm went dead. It got tired on him, and it went away ... he just said, ‘I’ve lost it,’” Collins said after the game. “Every day, it’s hard to walk in this room, because the conversation is about who got hurt tonight. I’m getting a little tired of talking about it.”
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Doctors checked on Syndergaard after the game, and told him here was nothing to be concerned about with his elbow.
“I think it's just that time of year. It's my first year in the big leagues,” Syndergaard said. “I've thrown a lot of pitches and thrown a lot of innings so far. There's no pain, there's no discomfort in my elbow regarding the bone spur. I feel like I can still go out and pitch through that. It really all boils down to a little shoulder fatigue.”
His exit comes on the same day the Mets announced starter Matt Harvey would undergo season-ending surgery. Centerfielder Yoenis Cespedes also left Friday's game after straining his right quad. Cespedes and Syndergaard, who were selected to this year's All-Star game, won't be able to play in all likelihood.
Before the game, Collins said he planned on showcasing his biggest star at the mid-summer classic. “The world needs to see him,” he proclaimed. Now, Syndergaard’s own team is just hoping to see him in the next couple of weeks.
