Mets' Noah Syndergaard to begin rehab assignment on Thursday

Fans of the New York Mets will likely take any good news they can get coming off Tuesday's demoralizing 8-0 home loss to the San Francisco Giants that dropped the Amazins to 61-64 on the season. 

According to SNY, Mets manager Luis Rojas confirmed ahead of Wednesday's matchup against the Giants that right-hander Noah Syndergaard will begin a minor league rehab assignment with High-A Brooklyn on Thursday. Rojas explained that Syndergaard is expected to pitch only one inning in his return against competitive hitters. 

Syndergaard, 28, underwent Tommy John surgery in late March 2020 and missed the entire pandemic-shortened season while recovering from that procedure. He was then shut down from throwing for a minimum of six weeks this past May after he experienced inflammation in his right elbow linked with a rehab appearance. 

While speaking with reporters Tuesday, Mets acting general manager Zack Scott admitted Syndergaard could be shifted to a bullpen role if he's cleared to rejoin the big league club before the first Sunday of October. 

"I think just with where the calendar is, I think if you decide to try to bring a guy back with more length, it's just going to lengthen out how long it takes to get them back into a game," Scott explained. "We can always change course. It doesn't affect the progression. It's basically when you stop the progression it affects it.

"We always learn new things about who's healthy on the major league roster and where we're at. We'll figure out where the best fit is when we get a good look at how he's progressing." 

Earlier on Wednesday, Mets ace Jacob deGrom resumed throwing as part of his recovery from lingering elbow inflammation. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner hasn't pitched since July 7 because of his latest setback. 

The Mets began Wednesday afternoon trailing the first-place Atlanta Braves by six-and-a-half games in the NL East standings.