After some deliberation, the Mets have decided Noah Syndergaard will start Sunday's Game 2 of the NL Championship Series against the Cubs, despite making a relief appearance Thursday.
Friday, Mets manager Terry Collins implied Syndergaard may need more rest, and would instead pitch Game 4. But now it appears Syndergaard could start two games if the series requires.
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"He (Syndergaard) just came in and said he felt great," Collins said Saturday afternoon, via ESPN.com . "He said there was absolutely no stiffness. He's got no soreness anywhere. And he wants to pitch. So we're going to run him out there."
Matt Harvey is scheduled to start Game 1 on Saturday, and with Syndergaard starting Game 2, Jacob deGrom can start Game 3. Starting Syndergaard early also allows the Mets to start rookie Steven Matz in Game 4, which was the team's preference.
"No disrespect to Steven, but he just hasn't pitched a lot," Collins said.
Collins went on to say Matz will get a relief appearance over the weekend to help keep him sharp.
Syndergaard and Matz are the third and fourth rookie pitchers to start for the Mets in a postseason game in franchise history, joining Gary Gentry and John Maine.