The New York Mets got back Robinson Cano on Sunday but suffered another loss when Noah Syndergaard was placed on the IL with a hamstring injury
Just as the New York Mets are preparing to welcome back one former All-Star, another is headed to the IL.
Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard was placed on the 10-day IL on Sunday with a right hamstring injury suffered in Saturday’s game against St. Louis. Syndergaard came out to begin the top of the seventh inning before surrendering a leadoff hit to Yairo Munoz.
After Munoz stole second, Syndergaard started clutching his hamstring and was removed from the game with the Mets winning 8-3. He gave up four earned runs on six hits over six innings against the Cardinals while striking out five. He earned the victory to go 5-4 on the season as the Mets won 8-7.
After the game, Mets manager Mickey Callaway said the team was playing it safe with Syndergaard but don’t know how long he’ll be out. “We really have no idea at this point,” he told MLB.com. “That deep in a game, if he feels anything, you get him out with a five-run lead.”
It wasn’t Syndergaard’s best performance, but the right-hander was showing signs of turning things around after a disappointing start to the season. Syndergaard has a career-worst 4.55 ERA this season, but in his previous three starts before Saturday had a 2.75 ERA.
The Mets did receive a piece of good news on Sunday. Second baseman Robinson Cano, out since June 5, was activated from the IL and is in the lineup as the Mets conclude their series against the Cardinals. In his first two at-bats, Cano has drawn a walk and hit a double.
Cano originally suffered a quad injury on May 22 while attempting to run out a grounder. That play came just three days after he was criticized for failing to hustle to first on a short grounder to the catcher. He returned to the Mets lineup on June 5 but re-aggravated the injury after just four innings and was placed back on the IL.
The 36-year-old Cano is hitting .238 with three home runs in 46 games, his first season with the Mets after being acquired in an offseason trade from the Seattle Mariners.
The Mets are 6-7 in June and sit two games under .500 on the season at 34-36. They trail the Atlanta Braves by 6.5 games for the NL East lead.