PITTSBURGH - By the time Noah Syndergaard took the mound, much of the intrigue surrounding his start against the Pirates had dissipated.
The Mets will almost certainly go to a six-man rotation, a plan that manager Terry Collins hinted at before Friday night's 4-1 loss to the Pirates. That means Syndergaard likely will stick around even when Dillon Gee returns soon from a groin strain that sent him to the disabled list.
Still, Syndergaard used his third big-league start to reaffirm that he belongs. He allowed four runs (three earned) in six innings. That line, however, was a reflection of the porous defense played behind him.