The New York Mets received a bit of bad news Tuesday as star pitcher Noah Syndergaard was placed on the 10-day DL. According to the Mets announcement, an MRI revealed a strained ligament in Syndergaard’s right index finger. There has been no word on a timetable for his return, but the Mets will hope he can return quickly.
Noah Syndergaard was examined today at The Hospital for Special Surgery for soreness in his right index finger. A MRI and clinical examination confirmed a strained ligament in the finger. Syndergaard will be placed on the 10-Day Disabled List, retroactive to May 26.
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 29, 2018
Noah Syndergaard Headed to DL with Finger Injury
Background
The flamethrowing Syndergaard has been an impressive pitcher in baseball since his debut in 2015. His start to 2018 has also been important as the Mets try to hang on and compete in the NL East. New York is already in fourth place in a drastically improved division and dealing with injuries to Yoenis Cespedes and Todd Frazier among others. Additionally, the team has dealt with a few struggling starting pitchers in Jason Vargas and Zack Wheeler.
Impact
The true impact of the injury will likely not be known until fans find out how long Syndergaard will miss. Missing a few weeks would be something the team can rebound from, but it is tough to envision the Mets not falling out of contention if he misses a month or more. Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom have led the rotation, but deGrom cannot carry the load himself. The duo has started 22 of New York’s 51 games this season, and losing either one for a significant amount of time could doom the season.
Outlook
It is not quite time to panic for the Mets, but fans certainly have reason to feel uneasy at this point. The DL is continuing to grow, and the team has just two wins over the past eight games. If the Mets are hoping to compete in 2018, the team may need to investigate another quick trade. The move to acquire catcher Devin Mesoraco looks to be a good one. However, he alone is not enough to carry the team in the wake of another injury.
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