Mets' Syndergaard gets Opening Day nod
Not even a week into spring training, New York Mets manager Terry Collins already knows who he wants on the mound for Opening Day, tabbing right-hander Noah Syndergaard for his club's April 3 opener against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.
"Easiest (decision) I've made in a while," Collins told reporters Thursday, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.
Syndergaard - who's poised to become the Mets' seventh different Opening Day starter in as many seasons - emerged in 2016 as the ace of a team rife with talented pitchers. The 24-year-old finished third among qualified starters in ERA (2.60) and strikeout rate (29.3 percent), while tying Clayton Kershaw for the MLB lead in WAR (6.5).
"It's just a huge honor," Syndergaard said. "It's something I've been working for ever since I was with the Mets, to be the Opening Day starter at one point. I'm extremely thrilled that Terry instills that kind of confidence in me, so I'm going to go out there and get the job done."
Mets Opening Day starters, 2011-2017
| Year | Pitcher | Decision | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Noah Syndergaard | - | ATL | Citi Field |
| 2016 | Matt Harvey | L | KCR | Kauffman Stadium |
| 2015 | Bartolo Colón | W | WAS | Nationals Park |
| 2014 | Dillon Gee | ND (L) | WAS | Citi Field |
| 2013 | Jon Niese | W | SDP | Citi Field |
| 2012 | Johan Santana (4) | ND (W) | ATL | Citi Field |
| 2011 | Mike Pelfrey | L | FLA | Sun Life Stadium |
On Sunday, as he held court with the media for the first time this spring, Syndergaard said he added 17 pounds of muscle in the offseason with the hopes of throwing harder in 2017. Last year, Syndergaard's average fastball velocity of 97.9 miles per hour led all qualified starters.
"I always want to throw harder and continue to make the game easier," Syndergaard said, per Newsday's Marc Carig. "I felt like last year, from my rookie season, my velocity jumped up ... I’m always going to be trying to raise that kind of bar."