Mets' Syndergaard gets start against Giants

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard works out Tuesday at Citi Field. Syndergaard gets the start in tonight's National League wild-card game against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field.

The New York Mets’ season-opening rotation had Noah Syndergaard slotted in between Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom. Steven Matz, and eventually, Zack Wheeler would be the two other starters, making for what many figured to be the most imposing group of pitchers in baseball.

Yet as the season progressed, and the Mets suffered injury after injury, Syndergaard was the only one of those five to make it to October.

To get this far, Syndergaard overcame small ailments this summer and, along the way, matured into one of baseball’s best starters. Now comes the next step: starting for the Mets at Citi Field tonight in the do-or-die National League wild-card game against Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants.

“I wouldn’t really call it nerves,” Syndergaard said Tuesday as he met with reporters during the Mets’ workout at Citi Field and talked about tonight’s showdown. “Really no reason to be nervous when you’re prepared. That’s my motto. I’m more anxious and just excited to get out there and compete.”

Syndergaard’s short postseason résumé is promising. The Mets’ only World Series victory last season against the Kansas City Royals came with Syndergaard, then a 23-year-old rookie, on the mound.

“We think he’s certainly got the mental makeup along with the physical stuff to be that guy,” Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Given the improvised state of the Mets’ rotation, Syndergaard was the obvious choice to start against the Giants. Harvey, who started Game 1 of last year’s World Series, has been out since July. DeGrom, who started Game 2 of the Series, had surgery two weeks ago. Matz, who started Game 4, had surgery to remove bone spurs from his left elbow on Tuesday; he also received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his balky shoulder.

The rookies Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman saved the Mets’ rotation with their pitching down the stretch. And Bartolo Colon, at 43, did not miss a start all season. But Syndergaard, with his 100 mph fastball, is the Mets’ one and only ace.

“He’s certainly made himself the No. 1 guy,” Collins said. “He’s got to be the guy you give the ball to.”

Collins said Syndergaard, who finished third in the major leagues with a 2.60 ERA, had matured this season as a pitcher and learned to induce contact from opposing lineups instead of trying to strike everyone out. He pointed to a Syndergaard start against the Giants on Aug. 21 in which he threw eight scoreless innings, allowed only two hits, struck out six and was efficient, with 98 pitches.

“He’s been able to pitch to more contact to get himself deeper in the game,” Collins said. “It’s hard for a young guy to learn, yet he learned it on the fly.”

Syndergaard still finished the regular season with 218 strikeouts, tied for fourth in the NL, because he not only has that 100-mph pitch but also a slider faster than many pitchers’ fastballs.

“He’s one of the best young pitchers in the game,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

On the other hand, Bochy has Bumgarner.

“It’s two Goliaths going at it, two big guys, and that makes for some good drama,” Giants right fielder Hunter Pence said.