Mets ace Noah Syndergaard leaves Opening Day start with a blister

Syndergaard had to exit his Opening Day start after 86 pitches with a blister on his middle finger

NEW YORK -- Noah Syndergaard’s first Opening Day start for the New York Mets was cut short Monday afternoon.

The Mets announced Syndergaard had to exit the game after six innings and 86 pitches due to a blister on the top of his right middle finger. Syndergaard said the small blood blister first gave him trouble in the second inning, then it eventually popped in the sixth.

“He’ll make the start. It’s not very big,” said manager Terry Collins following the game. “It’s just that it actually popped. It popped during the (sixth) inning ... They’ll dry it out the next couple days and he’ll be ready.”

Syndergaard said the blister caused him pain but did not affect his grips with any of his pitches. Catcher Rene Rivera said while he noticed the team’s ace was in discomfort and looking at his finger, there was no decline in his stuff. Syndergaard has been throwing more sinking two-seam fastballs this year, though it wasn’t any one pitch that caused the blister.

“I had it when I was going through the minor leagues with the Blue Jays. It’s kind of a rare occurrence,” said Syndergaard after the game.

Syndergaard’s next start was scheduled for Saturday, April 8, at home against the Miami Marlins. Collins confirmed they will give him an extra day for the blister to heal, so he’ll start Sunday instead. Robert Gsellman will move up from Sunday to Saturday.

Syndergaard, 24, held the Atlanta Braves to five hits and no walks in six scoreless innings. He struck out seven. If the blister affected Syndergaard, it was close to impossible to tell from his performance. He was locked in and throwing as hard as ever.