Noah Syndergaard injury: Viral infection the latest Mets’ problem

The New York Mets’ organizational dysfunction might not be contagious, but the latest blow to the franchise literally is. Noah Syndergaard will be placed on the disabled list with an injury I can’t say I have heard before in baseball.

Syndergaard is going on the 10-day DL with hand, foot and mouth disease. Seriously.

— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) July 22, 2018

Hand, foot and mouth disease is described by the Mayo Clinic as “a mild, contagious viral infection common in young children.”

Noah Syndergaard is going on the DL with hand, foot & mouth disease. Possible he picked it up working at a kids camp over the all-star break. Perhaps why he had diminished velocity and was tired on Friday. Assistant GM John Ricco said they expect it perhaps to be just one start.

— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner) July 22, 2018

Mickey Callaway says Syndergaard has blisters on his hands because of the disease. During his last start, Syndergaard had trouble breathing. "He was just weak, run down. I think the virus just took its toll."

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 22, 2018

Syndergaard allowed just one run in his start on Friday but only pitched five innings. Before the All-Star break the right-hander averaged over 98 mph on both his four-seam fastball and his sinker, per Brooks Baseball, but on Friday was down 2 mph on both pitches.

When Syndergaard returns remains to be seen, but his injury was the culmination of a terrible weekend for the Mets.

Outfielder a Yoenis Cespedes missed over two months with what the team called a mild right hip flexor strain, and in his return on Friday night was 2-for-4 with a walk and a home run. What should have been a celebratory moment for New York instead was overshadowed by his postgame revelation.

Cespedes told reporters he has calcification in his heels that can only be fixed by surgery that would carry with it a rehabilitation time of 8-10 months. Asked whether he could play through the problem the rest of the season Cespedes said, “I don’t know.”

That was Friday night, and come Saturday the Mets didn’t have many answers, including manager Mickey Callaway unaware of the situation.

From David Lennon of New York Newsday:

This was an epic fail all-around, and not just from a PR standpoint. Nine weeks on the DL, under the scrutiny of all those medical personnel, and Cespedes can just spring that heel disaster on everyone at his locker, seemingly out of the blue?

From Tim Britton of The Athletic:

Why anybody with the Mets thought this was the best course of action — to allow Céspedes’ damning self-prognosis and Callaway’s acknowledged ignorance just hang there for another 24 hours — is as perplexing as their inability to properly diagnose Céspedes in the first place. It’s an M.O. that feels an awful lot like CYA.

Cespedes didn’t play against the Yankees on Saturday, and is out of the lineup on Sunday as well. Mets assistant general manager John Ricco spoke with reporters before Sunday’s series finale.

John Ricco downplays the idea that there are communication issues between Yoenis Cespedes and the Mets' front office. "We're not at odds by any stretch. ... There's no disconnect between us."

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 22, 2018

The Mets are just 40-56 this season, on pace for 95 losses after starting the year 11-1. They traded closer Jeurys Familia to the A’s on Saturday, and will likely continue to sell. Ace starter Jacob deGrom during the All-Star break said he wants to stay with New York, but put the onus on the team to step up one way or another.

“I would love to play here for my whole career. It’s just deciding what we see as the future,” deGrom said. “It’s something that is kind of in the Mets’ control.”

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