PORT ST. LUCIE — Clean and filthy hit the Mets on Thursday, providing a burst of energy at the team’s spring training complex.
In New York, Jon Niese was receiving clean results of an MRI exam, allowing him to resume throwing upon his return to camp. Meanwhile, at Tradition Field, stud right-hander Noah Syndergaard was filthy in two innings of an intrasquad scrimmage.
Niese had left the team a day earlier after concerns arose about lingering soreness in his left triceps. But an MRI exam performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery indicated no trace of structural damage, allowing manager Terry Collins to keep his sanity heading into Friday’s Grapefruit League opener against the Nationals.
“We get [Niese] back on the mound as soon as we can, so it was very good news,” Collins said. “Clean shoulder — it looks better than it did last year at this time, which is great news for us.”
Especially considering the fact Niese missed seven weeks last season with a partially torn rotator cuff before returning to the team in August. The lefty now has “minor” weakness in his upper back muscles, but is expected to resume throwing this weekend.
The 27-year-old Niese is penciled in as the Mets’ Opening Day starter at Citi Field on March 31 against the Nationals.
Syndergaard isn’t expected to head north with the Mets, but on Thursday provided team officials with a sample of his stuff. The 21-year-old righty allowed a run on four hits over two innings, striking out five with no walks.
Syndergaard’s electric stuff included a 97 mph fastball and his “hook from hell” curve — as named by Collins last week.
“I wasn’t able to go inside as much as I wanted to,” Syndergaard said. “It was a little difficult playing against your own team — you don’t really want to hit the guy. It might be a little different when I’m playing the Braves the next time I’m out there [Monday]. Not that I want to hit them or anything, but it’s going to be easier to go inside.”
Syndergaard, in his first inning of work, struck out three batters, allowing a single to Danny Muno. In his second inning, Syndergaard struck out two and surrendered three singles. Cory Vaughn reached on an infield single. Kevin Plawecki singled to center and Wilfredo Tovar delivered an RBI single to right. None of the balls was hit particularly hard.
“Facing guys like him you’ve got to be aggressive on that fastball because if you miss the fastball you’re pretty much done,” Vaughn said. “Because his secondary stuff is so good. He was real effortless and big and long and it explodes out of his hand.”
Syndergaard threw only one changeup — the rest of his pitches were fastballs and curves. Collins would like to see more of the changeup.
“You always want to see him throw another one — he only threw one in the two innings,” Collins said. “But certainly everything you heard, you saw. You heard what a great arm, you’ve got it. He’s got great presence, he pounds the strike zone, he did that.”
Syndergaard is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Las Vegas, following the script set by the organization the previous two years for Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, both of whom joined the Mets past the projected cutoff point for Super-2 arbitration eligibility.
The rookie’s next step will be facing major league hitters on Monday at the Disney complex against the Braves.
“I’m excited, but a little nervous at the same time,” Syndergaard said. “My first time facing a big league lineup. I am going to go out there and do what I can the whole game.”