New York Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard is headed to Florida this week to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair an injury in his pitching elbow.

And it seems the coronavirus pandemic won’t stop him.

Like was the case in many states, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order last week that indefinitely prohibited doctors and hospitals from performing non-emergency surgeries. The idea is to keep doctors and hospital space and supplies available for the expected influx of patients dealing with COVID-19.

Yet the Mets still announced Monday that Dr. David Altchek would perform Tommy Surgery on Syndergaard to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament at the Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Fla..

Syndergaard, 27, is a tall and lanky flamethrower who made the All-Star Game in 2016.

The Wall Street Journal reported the Florida government is allowing doctors to determine whether particular surgeries are essential. A spokesman for the Hospital for Special Surgery confirmed to the WSJ that it deemed Syndergaard’s planned procedure as essential and one that the governor’s order would not restrict.

While the athletic ramifications of Syndergaard’s surgery are clear — the faster he gets the procedure, the quicker he’ll be able to return to the Mets rotation — the medical necessity is in question.

The MLB season, which was scheduled to open this week, has been postponed indefinitely. Meanwhile, communities across the country are beginning to grapple with rising cases of the coronavirus, a climb that experts predict will have major consequences across various aspects of life.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.