The organization’s top pitching prospect was undergoing X-rays on his left (non-pitching) shoulder — the results of which weren’t immediately known — after a collision at home plate was responsible for knocking him out of the game.
Syndergaard was covering the plate on the play.
The right-hander was making his return to the mound after missing the last two weeks because of soreness that had arisen near his right elbow. Syndergaard had underwent an MRI exam in New York that revealed no structural damage.
David Wright didn’t appear thrilled he was removed from the Mets’ 7-4 loss to the Cubs Thursday at Wrigley Field as part of a double-switch after grounding out to end the eighth inning with the Mets trailing 5-4.
Jenrry Mejia entered to pitch in the bottom of the inning and Eric Campbell moved to third base.
“I don’t know,” Wright said, when asked about the switch. “I’m not the manager.”
Pressed on the issue, Wright said: “I guess the way to answer that is if you don’t make the last out of the inning, you don’t get double-switched for.”
Terry Collins defended the move.
“I only had one guy left on the bench,” Collins said. “I wanted to try to keep [Lucas] Duda in the game. So I just told David, ‘Look, I’ve got to put the pitcher in your spot.’ He understands. He’s a pro. That was all it was.”
Chris Young is a mess offensively, but that won’t preclude him from getting chances batting leadoff.
After three straight games with Matt den Dekker in the leadoff spot, Collins turned to Young.
Young entered in an 11-for-79 (.139) tailspin over his previous 27 games, but went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two walks. With Juan Lagares [rib cage] on the disabled list and Collins unsettled about the leadoff spot, Young got the chance.
With Monday an off day, Collins said he and pitching coach Dan Warthen have discussed skipping Daisuke Matsuzaka’s next start, but they also like the idea of keeping the rotation on course and giving the starters an extra day of rest.
The Cubs observed a moment of silence for Don Zimmer, who died Wednesday. Zimmer managed the Cubs to the 1989 NL East title, in a baseball career that spanned 66 years.
Zimmer’s best years as a player came as an infielder with the Dodgers.
“I grew up a Dodger, and this guy was one of the great Dodgers,” Collins said. “If it wasn’t for Pee Wee [Reese, who was the shortstop in front of Zimmer], he would have had a tremendous career.”