Can the New York Mets count on Noah Syndergaard?

The New York Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard resumed throwing off a mound recently. Can the Mets count on him in 2021?

The New York Mets were recently purchased by Steve Cohen and he is looking to change the team’s course towards a World Series title. The Mets had another disappointing season and finished in fourth place in the National League East. The team’s rotation was depleted by injuries to Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, and Steven Matz.

Syndergaard was attempting to bounce back from a rough 2019 season. His 2020 season would not happen after tearing his UCL in March, forcing him to have Tommy John surgery. Syndergaard posted a video of him throwing off a mound for the first time since the spring and it sparked excitement among Mets fans.

It is great to see Syndergaard throwing again and looking like his normal self, but can he get back to his normal self? When will he be ready?

There are a handful of pitchers who have made an amazing recovery from elbow surgery, but there is also a handful who have not been able to overcome. Syndergaard’s teammate Jacob deGrom had Tommy John surgery in 2010 and made his return in 2012. deGrom was the first-ever starting pitcher to win a Cy Young Award (2018 and 2019) after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals also had Tommy John surgery in 2010. Strasburg just needed one full year to make his return, while most pitchers need a little more than 365 days.

If rehabilitation goes well for Syndergaard, there is a great chance he will have the same heater and hard slider to get batters out. What is most important in his recovery is taking it slow and not rushing his return. deGrom had elbow surgery early in his minor league career, and they gave him plenty of time to make a full recovery which led to his future success.

The revamped New York Mets need to be extremely careful with Noah Syndergaard because the instinct is to bring him back into the rotation as soon as possible. Yes, winning is important for the Mets in 2021, but they cannot take a risk on Syndergaard. He is already projected to miss the first couple of months of the regular season. I think the Mets would be extremely lucky if he was back in the rotation in May, but do not count on it.

I am like the many New York Mets fans who are hopeful for a speedy recovery from Syndergaard. If the team is in playoff contention at the trade deadline, Syndergaard could provide that natural trade deadline boost by returning from the injured list. A Syndergaard return could be better than trading for a starting pitcher. Syndergaard is excited about the changes going on in the organization and cannot wait to be back at Citi Field. Go check Syndergaard’s Twitter bio if you don’t believe me.