New York Mets ace Noah Syndergaard faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after the club confirmed Tuesday he will undergo Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old right-handed pitcher has suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his pitching elbow and is set to go under the knife to repair the injury on Thursday. UCL or "Tommy John" surgery is a serious injury in baseball, and usually requires at least a year on the sidelines before a player can return. ESPN reported that Syndergaard was not expected to return before April 2021 at the earliest. Syndergaard's injury dramatically weakens the Mets' starting rotation, which is spearheaded by two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. The injury is another blow to Syndergaard, whose flowing blonde locks have earned him the nickname "Thor". The Texan enjoyed a largely injury free campaign in 2019 but prior to that had made just 32 starts in two seasons following a four-month layoff in 2017 caused by a torn lat muscle. The 2020 Major League Baseball season had been due to get under way this week but has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak. rcw/bb