Breaking News: Noah Syndergaard Needs Tommy John Surgery

If and when the 2020 season begins, the Mets won’t have Noah Syndergaard’s right arm on which to lean — he needs Tommy John surgery after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.

Brodie Van Wagenen said in a statement:

“After experiencing discomfort in his elbow before Spring Training was suspended due to the pandemic, Noah and our health and performance department have been in constant contact. Based on the persistence of his symptoms, Noah underwent a physical examination and MRI that revealed the ligament tear. A second opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache confirmed the diagnosis and the recommendation for surgery. Noah is an incredibly hard worker and a tremendous talent. While this is unfortunate, we have no doubt that Noah will be able to return to full strength and continue to be an integral part of our Championship pursuits in the future.”

Syndergaard is a free agent after next season, so this is a huge blow for him. He will likely only have a half a season to prove he is healthy and get a mega deal.

The Mets certainly weren’t expecting this, but they did prepare for it, signing both Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha in the off-season when it appeared they only needed one more starter. Good thing they signed two.