Mets' Syndergaard intends on being ready for Opening Day 2021

New York Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard has every intention of being ready to return to the mound for Opening Day in 2021.

Recovering from the Tommy John surgery he underwent March 26, it isn't a given that Syndergaard will be able to complete his rehab in time for next season. However, he sees it as a challenge worth facing.

"I think this is the best time to (rehab) considering there is no baseball right now, but I fully intend to be ready for next Opening Day, but doing it in a smart way," Syndergaard said, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. "The rehab is 12-15 months, and I see that as a competition."

For Syndergaard to be on the team's Opening Day roster, he'd likely need to get into spring training games, which would indicate an even quicker turnaround than normal from a torn UCL.

The 27-year-old is slated to enter his final year of arbitration this coming offseason, with his first trip to free agency on tap following the 2021 season.

Over parts of five seasons with the Mets, Syndergaard has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in 2016 when he made the NL All-Star team and went 14-9 with a 2.60 ERA across 183 2/3 innings. However, durability has long been a concern, and though he pitched a career-high 197 2/3 innings in 2019, he posted an underwhelming 4.28 ERA and 1.23 WHIP.