Hilary Swift for The New York Times
Once the standing ovation for Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom died down and the flyover of New York Police Department helicopters passed before the Mets’ home opener began on Thursday afternoon, Noah Syndergaard, the Mets’ second starter, took to the mound at Citi Field.
DeGrom, who had a career-high 14 strikeouts the previous night, is the toughest act to follow in the majors at the moment, but Syndergaard came out firing. He started the Nationals off with a 98-miles-per-hour fastball, and managed to impress himself with the break of his curveball in the second inning.