Syndergaard's 100-mph fastballs torch Astros in spring debut

In his first spring training appearance of the year, Thor dropped the hammer on the Houston Astros.

New York Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard opened up Monday's Grapefruit League affair with four consecutive 100-mph pitches. He finished the opening frame throwing 11 pitches, seven of which went for triple-digits on the radar gun.

Syndergaard ended his outing with two strikeouts over two innings, throwing 22 pitches, 11 reaching 100 mph or higher. No one reached base.

Astros batters will be happy to see him go back to the National League for the regular season. As impressive as his fastballs were, Syndergaard got reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve looking at a change-up for strike three.

It's an encouraging sign for the ace, who missed most of 2017 with a torn lat muscle suffered at the end of April. Before the injury in his fifth start, he pitched like a surefire Cy Young candidate, going 1-1 with a 1.73 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 26 innings.

After his outing, Syndergaard ran shirtless sprints near the Mets' clubhouse and told reporters (still shirtless) that he didn't feel like he exerted himself during the game, and he was especially impressed with the change-up that flummoxed Altuve:

Postgame, Altuve essentially said the pitch was unhittable, according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

"If he throws me that pitch a hundred times, a hundred times he'll get me out," Altuve said.