Mets ace Syndergaard to return Saturday for 1-inning start

By AP
Published

NEW YORK (AP) ��� The Mets plan to have ace Noah Syndergaard make a one-inning start Saturday in his first major league game in nearly five months.

Syndergaard has been out since April 30 because of a partially torn lat muscle on his right side. He will pitch against the NL East champion Washington Nationals.

An All-Star last year, the 25-year-old right-hander was 1-2 with a 3.29 ERA in five starts this season when he was hurt. Syndergaard pitched twice in the minors during his rehabilitation.

General manager Sandy Alderson said Friday the Mets want Syndergaard to get the feeling of being back on the mound. Depending on how Syndergaard feels, he might pitch once more this season.

Former Mets ace Matt Harvey will take over in the second inning Saturday. Harvey is 1-3 with a 13.19 ERA in four starts since missing more than two months with a shoulder injury.

The Mets said Harvey was consulted about the plan of following Syndergaard and was fine with it. This will be Harvey's 100th game in the majors and first official relief appearance.

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