When Mets manager Terry Collins announced Matt Harvey as his Game 1 starter for the NLCS against the Cubs, the assumption was that Noah Syndergaard would start Game 2. That might not be the case.
According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Collins told reporters on Friday that nothing is set in stone for Game 2 on Sunday. At issue is that the Mets want to see how Syndergaard recovers from his relief appearance from Game 5 of the NLDS against the Dodgers. While the fireballer threw 17 pitches in a scoreless inning, he threw over 100 pitches warming up.
“His last time he pitched, the second day he was still pretty sore,” Mets manager Terry Collins said of Syndergaard. “I’m certainly well aware that I got him up [in the bullpen] four times last night. You could almost say he got ready four times. That could have almost been five innings of work because I knew he threw over 100 pitches warming up. So if he’s still tender tomorrow, he’s probably not going to be the Game 2 guy.”
If Syndergaard can’t go, the Mets will start Steven Matz against Jake Arrieta. This would line up Jacob deGrom to start Game 3 in Chicago on Tuesday and Syndergaard for Game 4 on Wednesday.