Mets' Noah Syndergaard working on holding runners at first base
Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard throws during a spring training workout on Feb. 19 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Magneuris Sierra of the Marlins was trying to steal second base in the second inning on Tuesday when Wilson Ramos fired a strike to second.
“Out!” fans behind home plate yelled. But second-base umpire John Libka called Sierra safe.
“I want to see a replay!” one fan bellowed.
In spring training, the first call stands. But the important thing for the Mets wasn’t the result of the play. It was that Ramos had a good chance to throw out Sierra because Noah Syndergaard gave him that chance.
Holding runners at first base always has been Syndergaard’s “Achilles heel,” as he put it after the Mets’ 6-1 defeat at Clover Park.
Every spring training, Syndergaard vows to work on it. This year, he is making the vow again. And seems to be doing it.
“It’s huge,” said Syndergaard, who was charged with three runs (two earned) and struck out five in three innings. “It’s been a huge focus for me . . . I feel like I’m working on being quicker to home plate without really sacrificing stuff to the hitter. I’d like to think I’m quite a bit further along than I was — probably than I’ve ever been. It’s been just like my Achilles heel for, I think, probably my whole career. So something’s got to change.”
Syndergaard allowed a home run to right in the first to Garrett Cooper. Michael Conforto lost his glove over the wall during a leaping try to catch the drive. Conforto hopped over the shorter side fence and got his glove back.
McNeil red hot
Jeff McNeil (2-for-3) hit his first home run of spring training in the bottom of the first. McNeil, who has been playing third base only, is hitting .533 (8-for-15).
“His bat-to-ball skills are tremendous,” manager Luis Rojas said. “Always been really good. Go back to Mac in the minor leagues when he was probably like 25 pounds lighter than he is right now. More muscle on him, his bat-to-ball skill with a little more strength that he has, a little more muscle, he’s just playing like that. He’s playing with power and then with two strikes he can be that spray guy he can naturally be. He showed it today. He swings away and gets a homer and he gets in a two-strike count and slaps a ball to leftfield for a single. It’s almost like facing two different hitters in an at-bat.”
No word on Adams
Rojas said the club continues to have “no update” on non-roster first baseman Matt Adams, who was scratched from Thursday’s game to undergo additional cardiac tests after an undisclosed issue cropped up in his spring training physical.
Anthony Rieber covers sports media and business and professional sports (you know, games and trades and things). He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since Jan. 1, 2026.
