NEW YORK _ For all of the questions, minute and seismic, surrounding the Mets this summer, Noah Syndergaard provided the beginning of one answer Friday night: Can he build a decent innings base heading into 2019?
In his first major-league game in seven weeks, Syndergaard held the Nationals to one run in five innings, helping the Mets to a 4-2 win. He tossed 75 pitches, scattered seven hits and struck out three. Two Nationals walked _ Matt Adams and Daniel Murphy consecutively in the fourth _ and they put their leadoff man on in all of Sydnergaard's innings, but he generally worked around it.
Syndergaard also drove in a run, his line-drive single to right in the second capping the Mets' scoring for the night. Jose Bautista (single), Wilmer Flores (sacrifice fly) and Devin Mesoraco (single) each had an RBI in the first, when the Mets opened with three straight hits. Amed Rosario finished 2-for-4 with a triple and a double, his third consecutive strong start. Brandon Nimmo went 3-for-5 and made a diving catch to end the game.
As good as Syndergaard's stuff is _ and as good as he can be _ his past season and a half have been an injury-induced disappointment. A torn lat cost him most of 2017. A strained ligament in his right index finger held him out from late May until Friday.
The second half for Syndergaard is as much about quantity of work as it is quality.
"That's very key," manager Mickey Callaway said Friday afternoon. "We really need him to stay healthy the rest of this year so when he stays healthy next year he can push the 200-inning limit."
Callaway said the Mets were concerned coming into the season about how to manage Syndergaard's innings. He threw only 30 1/3 last season after going 183 2/3 during his All-Star 2016. After Friday, he's up to 69 2/3 (with a 2.97 ERA) in 2018.
"If he stays healthy all year, what are we going to do if he starts pushing 120, 130, 150 innings?" Callaway said. "How is he going to feel? What do we need to do to control that?
"The finger issue kind of controlled that for us. And now we don't have to worry about that. But we really need him to make that start every fifth day the rest of the season to get to an inning total that is going to be something he can build off of."
And so, as is the case for the Mets as a whole, the rest of this season is more about next for Syndergaard.
How many innings would the Mets like Syndergaard to throw? Callaway said it's not so much about innings as it is about starts. As long as he is healthy, the innings will be there.
The Mets will play 68 games after the All-Star break, which starts Monday. If Syndergaard indeed starts once every five games, he'll be due for 14 starts, which would make 26 for the year. A full season is about 32. The Mets could finagle their rotation if they want him to make more or fewer.
"(The innings) are going to be what they are depending on his effectiveness," Callaway said.
A sexy preseason Cy Young pick both years, Syndergaard has had his growth _ and career trajectory _ slowed by injuries. But it's worth remembering: The guy is still really young.
"His age and how much he's pitched, he's way ahead of the curve," Callaway said. "I've been around Cy Young winners, watched Cy Young winners, that at his age they're still struggling at Triple-A or had a little success in the major leagues."
Corey Kluber, Callaway's Cleveland pupil, didn't break out until his age-28 season. Jacob deGrom, who Syndergaard tied Friday with his fifth win of the year, was the surprise Rookie of the Year in 2014 as a 26-year-old. Syndergaard doesn't turn 26 until next month.
"He's going to be an elite, elite pitcher," Callaway said. "And it's going to be fun to watch that happen."
