WASHINGTON — Noah Syndergaard is still looking for his slider.
The Mets right-hander blamed his inability to harness that pitch for his sloppy performance in the team’s 11-8 victory over the Nationals on Saturday.
Over six innings, Syndergaard allowed four earned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts. He departed after 103 pitches.
“My slider really sucked today,” Syndergaard said. “I just could not get any feel for it whatsoever. Kind of a mediocre outing, mediocre results. It’s more of a mental thing, just trusting the grip and throwing it right now.”
After allowing three early runs, Syndergaard appeared to pick up steam in the fourth and fifth, escaping trouble in the latter inning with the help of a Victor Robles pickoff at first base.