New York Mets: Noah Syndergaard will come back stronger than ever

The New York Mets received awful news while waiting for the season to start. Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard underwent Tommy John surgery and will be able to pitch until the 2021 season.

The New York Mets along with all of the baseball world are still waiting for the season to begin. It’s already bad enough that most of us are living under some type of lockdown, but the Mets just have to make it worse for their fans. Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard tore his UCL and underwent Tommy John surgery. He will miss the rest of this season, when (or if) it starts.

The fact that Syndergaard was able to have the surgery during a time when most states have postponed elective surgeries due to the coronavirus pandemic is a story for another day.

Teammate Pete Alonso quickly came to his defense on social media,

"“Who is to judge someone’s medical needs in order to perform their job? Noah’s surgery or any other athlete’s surgery during this time shouldn’t be scrutinized considering it is done by orthopedic surgeons, not those on the frontlines battling this pandemic.”"

Florida did ban elective surgeries, however, it was up to the doctor to determine what qualifies as elective surgery. Chris Sale had to wait eleven days before having the surgery in Los Angeles. Los Angeles did not officially ban elective surgeries. Famed doctor James Andrews announced that he would not be performing Tommy John surgeries during the pandemic.

According to the New York Post, the team was told that Syndergaard had “an acutely torn UCL with acute compression of the ulnar nerve. The condition fits the essential surgery guidelines.”

If the Mets are ever going to be serious about making run at a World Series title, they will need Syndergaard to be the guy he has shown he can be. One of the game’s hardest throwers, when Thor is on his game he can be lights out. The Mets don’t have adequate depth to recover from losing their second ace. Most of their success in 2015 came from their starting rotation and their ability to keep other teams from scoring.

We saw injuries derail the career of Matt Harvey. He was also the face of Queens personifying the Dark Knight, similar to Syndergaard’s Thor, until his injuries became too much to overcome. This is not the first injury put Syndergaard on the sidelines. He missed significant with a torn lat injury in May of 2017.

Following his diagnosis, Syndergaard was determined to get back on the field before the season ended. He made that vision a reality and was able to pitch in September. Despite only throwing five pitches, it proved his determination and dedication to the team. He explained his thought process on returning to mlb.com’s New York Mets writer Anthony DiComo.

"I feel like I needed it just because I’ve put in so much work the past five months,” Syndergaard said. “I felt like I needed to get something out of it. Otherwise, what was I really doing?More from Empire Writes BackCaesars New York Promo Code: Win $250 Bonus GUARANTEED on ANY Bet!Last Chance Caesars Promo: Claim $1,250 Bonus for ANY MLB Bet!Caesars New York Promo Code Gives TWO Chances to Win Betting on Your Yankees!PointsBet New York Promo: FIVE $100 Bonus Bets to Back the Yankees or Mets!Caesars NY Promo: $1,250 Bonus to Celebrate the Return of Judge!"

In 2018, Syndergaard returned to his rightful place behind Jacob deGrom in the rotation. Being sidelined for at least a year again, he will be itching to get back on the mound.

Thor is slated to be a free agent in 2022 so next season Syndergaard will be playing for a new contract. He’ll be 30 years old, coming off Tommy John surgery. The 6-6 Texan has to show that he is capable of being an ace if he wants to get paid like one. There are no questions about his talent or desire to return as a top of the rotation pitcher.

At the present time, there is no rush for him to come back this season. He can take the rest of this year and focus on regaining his strength and ability to throw 100 MPH. Syndergaard has been with the club since 2012 when he was acquired from Toronto in the R.A. Dickey trade. In his first MLB season, 2015, Syndergaard secured huge playoff wins for the New York Mets including Game 3 of the World Series.

Memo to the Mets: Please keep Jacob deGrom in bubble wrap until the season begins.