Noah Syndergaard shut down for six weeks

As if the Mets needed more bad news on the injury front.

“When it rains, it pours” is a terrible cliche to use around the 2021 Mets and their league-leading weather problems, but that’s certainly been the case when checking their injury list recently.

News on Thursday morning isn’t good. Noah Syndergaard will be shut down for six weeks due to inflammation in his right elbow.

BREAKING: Noah Syndergaard has been shut down for six weeks with right elbow inflammation. No structural damage, but he'll be down until at least August.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) May 27, 2021

The Mets starting rotation depth has been stretched thin all seson. Now with Syndergaard’s timeline being pushed further back, he joins Carlos Carrasco as pitchers the Mets hoped to see suit up this season.

Manager Luis Rojas spoke to the media Thursday morning when the Syndergaard setback news broke saying “we pray that he can pitch for us this year.”

Syndergaard might not get to pitch in the final year of his contract with the Mets, putting himself at a disadvantage in the open marking this upcoming offseason.

Rojas noted on Thursday morning that Taijuan Walker might be available to start Friday’s opening game of the weekend series against Atlanta. But even with him hopefully returning, the Mets still have a long list of arms on the IL.

With Carrasco Jordan Yamamoto on the injured list, and Syndergaard now out until at least August, general manager Zack Scott might need to test the trade waters for a starting pitcher.