It’s a big day for the Mets tomorrow.
Noah Syndergaard will make his much-anticipated Major League debut tomorrow night in Chicago, their fourth in a series of top-shelf pitching prospects to graduate to the big leagues over the last three years.
For every player making his big league debut, nerves and butterflies usually accompany him to the field on day one. Fortunately for Syndergaard, he will have a familiar battery mate helping him every step of the way.
Kevin Plawecki has caught Syndergaard at Triple-A throughout the 2014 season as well as the early part of the 2015 season. He is expected to start tomorrow behind the plate when Syndergaard toes a big league pitching rubber for the first time.
“[Plawecki] and I have a great team chemistry on and off the field,” Syndergaard told Kristie Ackert of the Daily News. “We are always together, we’re close friends. I have a lot of confidence in him back there.”
Plawecki is looking forward to guiding Syndergaard through his first start tomorrow.
“I know his adrenaline will definitely be pumping, so I will do my best to try and hone that in as much as possible,” Plawecki said. “I’ll try and get him to throw the same game he threw in the minors. He’ll be great.”
The continuity and familiarity is significant, and it’s a big part of the club’s evolution as their prospects continue to graduate to the big leagues. In many cases, specifically within their pitching staff, they have all pitched together throughout much of their pro careers, and they’ve thrown to both Plawecki and Travis d’Arnaud for most of that time as well.
That’s important, as both catchers know the strengths, weaknesses and nuances of each pitcher. It’s relevant in the reverse as well.
But, as Plawecki and Syndergaard have shown, the camaraderie and relationship building have significance as well, and that could serve both players well tomorrow night.
Just Mets 