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Track record suggests Thor’s blip is just that
- Updated: September 20, 2016
NEW YORK — Even if Steven Matz makes it back to active duty this week, the Mets remain unconvinced he’ll be strong enough to help them much in the postseason. But Matz will still be more of a help than Matt Harvey or Jacob deGrom, who are both already done for the season.
Circumstances, then, have made Noah Syndergaard the bona fide ace of this pitching staff. Syndergaard is lined up to start the National League Wild Card Game if the Mets qualify for it. Syndergaard will be the club’s most-trusted starting pitcher if it advances deeper into October. And so the Mets could not help but blanch when Syndergaard, of all people, coughed up five runs on Monday in a 7-3 loss to the last-place Braves, arresting New York’s climb up the NL Wild Card standings.
“He’s huge going down the line,” manager Terry Collins said. “He’s our guy. Certainly, those young guys have stepped up and done a great job. But you’re going to go into the playoffs looking at Noah Syndergaard as the guy that, if there’s a big game to be pitched, he’s the guy you’re going to turn to. It was just very surprising tonight.”
• Mets hopeful Matz can start on …