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Keidel: Syndergaard Has Left Little Doubt Who Mets' Go-To Guy Truly Is

By Jason Keidel
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When you've been dealt four aces -- as the Mets seem to have -- you don't often parse the pitching particulars.

But the most admired staff in the sport wasn't enough to keep the club from losing four straight entering Tuesday night's game. While the starters weren't entirely to blame, the Mets gave up an incongruous 5.25 runs per game during the skid.

If that weren't bad enough, the Mets were facing perhaps the best pitcher east of Jake Arrieta.

Maybe the Nationals are renowned for underachieving, for not squeezing every drop of skill from their bejeweled roster, but Max Scherzer has been worth every dime of his $210 million deal, if that's possible.

Scherzer returned to Queens fresh off the twin feats of his 20-strikeout epic his last start, and the no-hitter he hurled the last time he took the bump in Flushing (which also included 17 strikeouts).

So the floundering Mets countered with their clear ace so far this season, Noah Syndergaard, who had to live up to every letter of his superhero handle.

And "Thor" indeed wielded the hammer Tuesday night, shutting out the Nats for seven innings.

You could argue Scherzer was every bit as good, surrendering just three hits over 6 1/3 innings. But two of them crashed beyond the outfield wall. Despite yielding half as many hits as he had in his 20-strikeout epic against Detroit, Scherzer couldn't shake the torment that has followed the Nationals for years.

For all his athletic splendor -- he tossed two no-hitters last year -- Scherzer has also surrendered 13 home runs this season, the most in the NL and tied for the most in MLB, which is surreal considering how good he is. Tuesday night also marked the first time in baseball this season that both starting pitchers notched at least 10 Ks, which was of no consolation to Scherzer.

But the night was ultimately about the Mets' behemoth. Given his physical dimensions -- listed at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds -- with his long locks and schoolgirl affectation of tucking his hair behind his ears, Syndergaard gives new meaning to the term tall, sexy blonde.

His performance certainly held ample, amorous appeal for Mets fans, who were slowly, even if absurdly, turning on the team, or at least descending into panic. And, at least for this young season, there is no doubt that Syndergaard is the ace on a team stuffed with high pitching cards.

We assumed that once Matt Harvey landed his handle of "Dark Knight of Gotham," with a persona to match, and his visage lathered across the cover of Sports Illustrated, he would be the face of Flushing for years.

And maybe Harvey still is the most visible, if not the most recognizable pitching star on the Mets' glittering staff. But Thor is the one pitching most like a comic book icon.

Syndergaard has fanned at least 10 twice this season and seven times in his fledgeling career (32 starts). He also short-circuits the speed gun with video-game frequency, often running the radar past 100 mph. But beyond the numbers is the sense that Syndergaard is the club's most complete pitcher, the best hybrid of power and composure.

With David Wright sitting Tuesday night -- perhaps a precursor to his future -- and the Mets' lineup in a collective slump, a lot of weight was put on Thor's wide shoulders. Maybe it's not entirely fair to expect superhuman deeds from a 23-year-old, but that's what happens when you blast through the membrane of expectations.

With great power comes great...

Follow Jason on Twitter at @JasonKeidel

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