PORT ST. LUCIE — Noah Syndergaard already has been placed on the 60-day injured list to begin the season, but the energy he’s showing at the Mets’ spring training complex is that of somebody ready to roll.
On Wednesday, the right-hander — who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery — threw a side session that was the latest example to manager Luis Rojas that Syndergaard will be ready by the organization’s June timeline.
“Noah is a monster,” Rojas said. “We are a month away from it being a year since the surgery. We knew that Noah was going to go about the best way you can go about it. He has worked his tail off, and we are still targeting him for the date range that we talked about.”
Syndergaard threw his fastball, changeup and sinker, but not at full tilt. It’s still to be determined if he will face hitters during spring training.
“Just controlling his intensity right now in side sessions in his rehab is what we’re doing at the moment,” Rojas said.
Dominic Smith’s first day of workouts was noticeable by the amount of laughter and banter emanating from the back fields during workouts. Smith missed the first two days of camp for an unspecified reason. He worked out in left field.
“[Smith] was everywhere in the clubhouse and then we found him right away out there on the back field,” Rojas said. “I knew exactly which field he was, let’s just say that. Guys laughing and yelling, they have some kind of competition there, but Dom is like that, he got everyone going right away.”
Carlos Carrasco still hasn’t worked out with the team (also for an undisclosed reason), but is expected on site by the end of the week.
Rojas hasn’t yet named a starting pitcher for Monday’s Grapefruit League opener against the Marlins, but indicated he might go with a bullpen game. The Mets’ first two exhibition games are scheduled for seven innings.
