ATLANTA — The Mets’ rotation is hardly immune from the physical ailments gripping the team.
Noah Syndergaard’s recent discomfort in his right index finger turned into bruising near the base of his wrist following a bullpen session Monday, causing concern to team officials. Syndergaard, following an MRI exam in New York on Tuesday, has been diagnosed with a strained ligament in the finger, according to the team, and will be placed on the 10-day disabled list.
Before Tuesday night’s scheduled game against the Braves, manager Mickey Callaway made it clear he expects Syndergaard’s absence to be brief. In the short term, Jason Vargas will pitch on short rest Wednesday in the series finale at SunTrust Park before Seth Lugo moves from the bullpen into a starting role against the Cubs at Citi Field.
Syndergaard is wearing a splint on the finger and could resume throwing within a few days.
“The goal is to rest it a couple of days and get him in a bullpen [session] this weekend, and after that he should be ready to go,” Callaway said.
Syndergaard last pitched on Friday in Milwaukee, where he allowed three runs over six innings and took a no-decision. The right-hander is 4-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 11 starts this season in his comeback from a torn right lat that cost him most of 2017.
The latest DL entry comes as the Mets are playing without Yoenis Cespedes, Todd Frazier, Wilmer Flores, Anthony Swarzak and AJ Ramos, among others.
From a rotation standpoint, Jacob deGrom was placed on the DL earlier this month with a hyperextended right elbow, but missed only one start. Vargas began the season on the DL before joining the rotation in late April.
Callaway used Lugo for a two-inning save in Game 1 of Monday’s double-header against the Braves and watched the right-hander surrender a walkoff homer to Charlie Culberson in the ninth. On Tuesday, the manager revealed his intent in leaving Lugo in the game for two innings instead of using Jeurys Familia in the ninth: Callaway says he knew Lugo would be needed in the rotation because of Syndergaard’s situation and wanted him pitching multiple innings as a buildup, of sorts.
“I called him in the office right after he blew the save and told him that was the reason we made him go two innings, because he’s going to be starting on Thursday,” Callaway said.
Callaway’s plan for Thursday is to receive four innings and 65 pitches from Lugo, a former starter who has emerged as a valuable piece in the Mets’ bullpen. Callaway has resisted moving Lugo to the rotation because of concerns about filling his spot in the bullpen if he were moved. Now Callaway can only hope somebody will emerge in Lugo’s bullpen spot.
“It’s going to mean that Paul Sewald and [Robert] Gsellman are going to have to continue to step up and maybe even take on a bigger role,” Callaway said. “And guys like [Jacob] Rhame are going to have to come in and pitch in situations they haven’t before.”
Vargas was rocked by the Brewers on Saturday, allowing five runs over three innings, but the expectation is the veteran lefty, who barely cracks 85 mph on the radar gun, won’t have a problem pitching on three days rest. The bigger concern is Vargas’ pitching: He is 1-3 with a 10.62 ERA in five starts for the Mets.
“He won’t be that limited,” Callaway said. “We will really just have to see how he does and gets through the game fatigue wise.”
Vargas volunteered to pitch from the bullpen in Monday’s double-header if needed, but wasn’t used in the split. In the eighth inning of the nightcap, when it became clear he wouldn’t pitch, Vargas threw a short side session.
