TUESDAY FOR TODD
Noah Syndergaard threw a light side off the bullpen mound on Sunday. It was his first test of throwing a baseball since he was placed on the disabled list with a strained ligament in his right index finger.
“It went fine,” Mets pitching coach Dave Eiland said. “The next step is for him Tuesday, he will throw to batters.”
That would potentially line him up to pitch on Sunday night against the Yankees.
The big righthander last pitched on May 25 in a 4-3 walk-off loss to the Brewers. He went six innings, allowing three hits. He is 4-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 11 starts this season. Syndergaard was placed on the 10day DL with the finger issue on May 29.
Jacob deGrom is lined up for Friday’s start against the Yanks, with Steven Matz set for Saturday after the southpaw gave up two runs in seven innings with seven strikeouts in Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the Cubs. Matz was cruising through six innings before Javier Baez stole home while Matz threw to first to try to pick off Willson Contreras. Another run scored a few plays later on a sacrifice fly when Jay Bruce didn’t call off Luis Guillorme on a shallow pop-up.
“Honestly it was completely out of mind,” Matz said of Baez on third. “My point in throwing over, if they’re gonna steal they’re gonna go on first movement. I’ve got a guy on third base. I’m not trying to snap a throw over there and throw it away. So it was really out of my mind and that’s my fault. I should’ve been more aware of that, especially with a guy like Baez, a really aggressive guy on third base. I’ve got to be more aware of that in that situation.”
The outing was Matz’s longest of the season and he has a 2.32 ERA in his last six starts.
Mickey Callaway said Todd Frazier (strained left hamstring) will be actived Tuesday when the Mets begin a twogame home ser ies against the Orioles. Frazier was en route to New York Sunday afternoon. Frazier went 4-for-9 with three RBI, two runs and two walks in three rehab games with TripleA Las Vegas. Frazier has been on the disabled list since May 8.
Given the Mets’ struggles against left-handed pitching — their . 203 batting average and .578 OPS against lefties are both worst in the majors — they’re desperate for Frazier to return. A pitcher will probably lose a roster spot when Frazier is activated.
“We’re carrying an extra pitcher right now and we have some days off coming up, so it’ll probably be a pitcher,” said Callaway, noting the team’s off days Monday, Thursday and next Monday.