AROUND THE HORN
Mets: Noah Syndergaard started the second game of a doubleheader against the Marlins on Tuesday night in New York, returning to a major league mound for the first time in two years and completing his long comeback from Tommy John surgery. The team also announced that ace Jacob deGrom won’t pitch again this season. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner has been sidelined since mid-July because of an elbow injury that’s healed, according to the club. He’s been throwing bullpens recently, including a successful one Monday, with an eye toward a potential return this year. But with the Mets out of playoff contention, deGrom and the club agreed there’s no sense in him starting a game even though he’s healthy, manager Luis Rojas explained. “Everyone is fully on board,” said Rojas, adding that deGrom should have a normal offseason. “It’s the right thing. I think coming back in spring training he’ll be the Jake that we know.” As for Syndergaard, the 29-year-old right-hander can become a free agent after the season, and the Mets must decide how much they want him back and whether to make him a one-year qualifying offer. The former All-Star’s return to the mound comes too late to help the 2021 Mets, who were eliminated from the postseason chase last weekend. The Mets led the NL East for three months but began to nosedive when the calendar turned to August . ... In the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, Francisco Lindor homered and drove in three runs, Marcus Stroman earned his 10th win and the Mets stopped a five-game losing streak with a 5-2 seven-inning victory. Stroman (10-13) allowed two runs and five hits over five effective innings in his 33rd start of the season, most in the majors. That matched his career high set in 2017 with the Blue Jays.
Dodgers: 1B Albert Pujols was placed on the COVID-19 list, when OF Cody Bellinger was activated from the IL after missing eight games with a broken left rib. Pujols received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and “just didn’t feel good,” manager Dave Roberts said. Roberts said Pujols will be re-evaluated Wednesday. The 41-year-old Pujols is batting .255 with 12 HRs and 38 RBIs in 82 games since he signed with the Dodgers on May 17 following his release from the Angels. The threetime NL MVP is fifth with 679 HRs, 17 shy of tying Alex Rodriguez for fourth. Bellinger is hitting .159 in 89 games. The 2019 NL MVP has nine HRs and 34 RBIs. ... Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín will retire as the Dodgers’ Spanishlanguage announcer following the 2022 season, ending a 64-year run with the team. Jarrín announced his decision Tuesday, saying he wants to spend more time with his two sons and grandchildren as well as travel. He turns 86 in December. Jarrín’s son, Jorge, retired in February, ending the first father-son duo to broadcast baseball on MLB Spanishlanguage radio. The elder Jarrín began calling Dodgers games in 1959 and was inducted into the Hall
of Fame in 1998, becoming just the second Spanishlanguage announcer to receive the honor. He has called three perfect games (Sandy Koufax in 1965, Tom Browning in ’88 and Dennis Martinez ’91) and 22 no-hitters, 30 World Series and 30 All-Star games during his career. Plans to honor Jarrín during the 2022 season will be announced later.