Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard's minor league rehab assignment hit a snag on Sunday, when he was scratched from a scheduled start due to what the team called a "non-baseball injury."
Multiple media reports indicated Syndergaard had tested positive for Covid-19. According to Audacy Sports insider Jon Heyman, Syndergaard was in fact vaccinated, though he previously expressed skepticism about the jab on social media in a since-deleted post.
The All-Star pitcher, who turned 29 on Sunday, hasn't appeared in a Major League game since 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, though he has worked out with the big league team and was seen throwing off a mound at Dodger Stadium during the Mets' recent road trip.
His comeback was further slowed earlier this season, when he reported feeling inflammation in the surgically repaired elbow.
It was reported Syndergaard was throwing only his two- and four-seam fastballs and his changeup while on rehab assignment, to avoid potential further aggravation of the elbow. He had made two appearances in the minors so far this season, one each with Class A St. Lucie and high-Class A Brooklyn.
Syndergaard is eligible for free agency at season's end.
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