DENVER — Noah Syndergaard will be granted his wish and receive a new battery mate for his next start.
According to an industry source, Rene Rivera will be the starting catcher on Wednesday, when Syndergaard is scheduled to face the Rockies in the series finale at Coors Field.
Syndergaard recently voiced his displeasure to team brass about throwing to Wilson Ramos — and a preference toward Rivera or Tomas Nido behind the plate — but that didn’t prevent manager Mickey Callaway from starting Ramos in the right-hander’s last start. In that game, Syndergaard allowed four earned runs over five innings in a loss to the Dodgers. Ramos was also behind the plate in Syndergaard’s previous start against the Phillies, in which the pitcher also allowed four earned runs over five innings.
Syndergaard owns a 2.52 ERA in 29 career games throwing to Rivera. In 16 career games with Ramos behind the plate Syndergaard’s ERA is 5.20.
Nido was the catcher for Steven Matz on Monday, after Ramos was given the choice of starting but declined because of fatigue from the previous night’s travel and the altitude adjustment in Colorado.
Robert Gsellman is “very” optimistic he can pitch again for the Mets this season, based on a recent progression in throwing.
The right-hander threw about 10 pitches in a bullpen session on Monday and is prepared to repeat the process later this week. Gsellman indicated if he passes that test he could see action in a simulated game by the weekend.
Would Gsellman’s potential return hinge upon whether the Mets are still alive in the NL wildcard race?
“We haven’t talked about that yet, but we probably will at some point,” Gsellman said.
Callaway indicated it’s probably not too late for Gsellman, who has been on the injured list since since Aug. 14 with a partially torn lat.
“I think anything is possible,” Callaway said. “It depends on how you want to use him.”
Callaway shuffled the lineup against the Rockies to get four left-handers — Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto and Robinson Cano — at the top. Pete Alonso was dropped to fifth for the first time this season, but Callaway said that switch was more about stacking the left-handers than the fact Alonso entered in an 0-for-20, the longest slump of his career. Left-handers were batting .349 against Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela, prompting the lineup change.
Dominic Smith, who is recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot, traveled to Port St. Lucie to increase his baseball activities, according to Callaway. Smith, who has been sidelined since late July, is not eligible for removal from the 60-day IL until Sept. 25. At that time he will have to receive a scan on the foot before he is cleared to resume. Smith will likely begin taking batting practice in Port St. Lucie, according to Callaway.
After playing the ESPN Sunday night game the Mets didn’t arrive to their hotel until about 3 a.m. local time, but Callaway downplayed the team’s travel and turnaround.
“That is what we were told to do,” Callaway said. “We can’t make the schedule, we just can play it. Baseball is a grind and that’s a grind, but we’ll do it and see if we can’t get a win.”
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