PHILADELPHIA -- Displeased with his recent performances, Noah Syndergaard will have to wait a few more days to make his next start, as Saturday's game between the Mets and Phillies was postponed due to rain. It will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Aug. 16.
But Syndergaard, who was scheduled to pitch Saturday night, will not simply push back a day. The Mets will proceed with Jacob deGrom as scheduled in their series finale Sunday against the Phillies, not wanting to make deGrom wait any longer after he skipped his last start due to a hyperextended right elbow. Syndergaard will then open the Mets' next series Tuesday against the Blue Jays at Citi Field, followed by Zack Wheeler to close out that two-game set.
All told, Syndergaard will go eight days without pitching, while deGrom will go 10 days between starts. It's a necessary evil for Syndergaard, who hasn't won a game in more than a month despite delivering four consecutive quality starts.
"I'm getting those mediocre starts out of the way so I can dominate in September, I guess," Syndergaard said after his last one.
Rain began falling at Citizens Bank Park shortly after the game's originally scheduled 7:05 p.m. ET first pitch. The storm worsened later in the night, prompting an official postponement just after 8 p.m.
The rainout will make for an eventful August for the Mets, who are now scheduled to play 17 games in 16 days spanning five cities. They will now play two on Thursday, Aug. 16, beginning at 4:05 p.m. ET, followed by two more in Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday. The five-game series will then shift to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League Classic on Sunday night.
Tickets for Saturday's rainout can be exchanged for the Aug. 16 doubleheader or any other remaining Phillies 2018 home game.