SportsLine MLB projections: Mets not hurt that badly losing Noah Syndergaard

There obviously have been no Major League Baseball games that have counted yet this year, but the New York Mets just got terrible news Tuesday regardless for the 2020 campaign – if there is one – with projected No. 2 starter Noah Syndergaard being diagnosed with a torn UCL in his right (pitching) elbow that will require season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Earlier in March, William Hill sportsbook had opened many MLB futures markets – most are down currently with the season suspended due to the coronavirus -- and on the National League Cy Young Award prop, Syndergaard was +2000 (20/1) to win it. Teammate Jacob deGrom was the +300 favorite to win a third straight NL Cy Young.

While deGrom clearly has become the better pitcher, Syndergaard has potentially the nastiest stuff in the majors – the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder just can't always control it. Last year, he threw a career-high 197.2 innings with 202 strikeouts but a mediocre 4.28 ERA (career high) and 10-8 record. "Thor" walked 50. He's annually among baseball's hardest throwers.

New York's rotation now looks like deGrom, Marcus Stroman, Steven Matz and new additions Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha. The Mets are +250 to win the NL East Division at William Hill and +850 to win the pennant.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulated the loss of Syndergaard over a 162-game season because there's no set number to use this year – but there will not be 162 games. The Model had the Mets dropping from 83.7 wins to 82.9 losing Syndergaard and from a 35.4 percent chance of making the playoffs to 32.3.

Syndergaard has one more year of team control after this one – he likely won't be back pitching for the Mets until next summer now – and then is a free agent.