The New York Mets have decided to shut down pitcher Noah Syndergaard for six weeks with right elbow inflammation, manager Luis Rojas announced on Thursday.
Syndergaard, 28, missed the entire 2020 shortened season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow in March 2020.
Syndergaard left his second rehab start on Tuesday following his recovery from Tommy John surgery after one inning, just 16 pitches. Syndergaard had pitched four scoreless innings in his first outing for St. Lucie.
“It’s big. We were just counting on him being here a month from now,” Rojas said. “This happening is tough. … We pray he can pitch for us this year.” Rojas added that there was no structural damage to the UCL (ulnar collateral ligament).
On Monday, Mets acting general manager Zack Scott had said Syndergaard was on track for a mid-June return to the Mets rotation.
