Noah Syndergaard is finally scheduled for his major league return.
The Mets reinstated the right-hander from the injured list on Tuesday, announcing him as the starter for Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Marlins at Citi Field. It’s presumed Syndergaard will be limited to one inning as the opener.
Syndergaard’s return comes a day ahead of his two-year anniversary pitching in the major leagues. He underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2020 and has been on the rehab trail since then.
The Mets initially hoped to have Syndergaard by mid-June, but that plan was scuttled when he incurred elbow tightness during a minor league rehab start. Syndergaard restarted his rehab in July, but that was derailed briefly in late-August, after he tested positive for COVID-19.
A free agent after this season, Syndergaard has been advised medically to refrain from throwing his slider and curveball for the remainder of this season. He was limited to a fastball and changeup in his recent appearances for Triple-A Syracuse.