SAN DIEGO -- The idea hatched from Bartolo Colon, by way of bullpen coach Ricky Bones. Noah Syndergaard has been dealing with arm fatigue, which the 43-year-old Colon has made a career out of avoiding. So Bones suggested Syndergaard try what his All-Star teammate estimates he has done for "10 or 15 years" -- avoid throwing full bullpen sessions in between starts.
Speaking on the eve of an All-Star Game to which he was elected but one he cannot participate, Syndergaard said he plans to scale back his side sessions to a significant extent for the rest of this season -- perhaps even for the rest of his career.