Syndergaard's MRI shows no structural damage

NEW YORK -- A feeling of relief washed over Sandy Alderson late Tuesday afternoon, when news of Noah Syndergaard's MRI results flicked onto the Mets general manager's cell phone screen. Syndergaard has no structural damage in his right arm, and he should be able to return to the mound soon.

"I was hopeful that this would be the outcome ... but you never really know," Alderson said. "You get an email and it's either good news or bad news. So obviously, it's good to know that he's essentially fine."

The Mets shut down Syndergaard, their No. 1 overall prospect, earlier this week with a flexor-pronator strain in his right forearm. Though that injury is rarely serious for pitchers in and of itself, it has a history of preceding elbow ligament strains and, in some cases, Tommy John surgery.

Syndergaard has no such ligament damage, though the Mets will continue to be cautious with him. Doctors recommended a regimen of shoulder stretching exercises to fortify his forearm.

"Everything appears to be OK," Alderson said. "Hopefully, this is a short-term disablement for him over the next few days."

Syndergaard, 22, is 5-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Las Vegas. The Mets have him penciled in to make his big league debut at some point this summer, following in the footsteps of former top pitching prospects Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler.