Noah Syndergaard is nearing his long-awaited return nearly one year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and the New York Mets fireballer recently revealed how he’s employing some fairly unconventional methods in the latter stages of his lengthy rehab and recovery.
Syndergaard spoke out about his extremely outside-of-the-box habits during a recent interview with GQ. A hyperbaric chamber has been utilized, as well as something called “grounding,” not to mention some occasional Swiffer-ing.
“I’m really big into grounding, or earthing, which is basically standing barefoot and making a connection to the earth. Sounds kind of like witchcraft, but I believe the science behind it,” Syndergaard said. “I just got done doing some BFR, blood flow restriction. I’ve got some KAATSU bands which I like to put on my arms, and I’ll just Swiffer or sweep the floor for a good bit. It gets me a nice pump and it’s a good recovery flush.”
The Mets starting pitcher also noted a radical change to his diet, which now includes feasting upon heart and liver.
“It’s as ancestral for us as it gets,” Syndergaard said. “As hunters gatherers that’s what we were eating. We’re not respecting the animal if we’re just eating the parts that we want to eat for the hell of it.”
Syndergaard believes changing things up so radically has benefited his recovery and preparedness for his eventual return.
“I hope so. I like to think all this stuff is really helping out,” Syndergaard said. “I guess there’s really no way to tell. I want to be at the end of my career and be like, ‘I did everything I possibly could to make sure that I put my body and myself in the best position to succeed and be the best person I can be.'”
As things stand in mid-May, the Mets expect Syndergaard to return to the rotation sometime around the middle of June. First, the one-time All-Star starting pitcher will start a rehab assignment in a few weeks, according to Mets acting general manager Zack Scott.
It sounds like Syndergaard is doing everything possible, including some fairly wild stuff, ahead of his return to the mound.
More must-reads: