The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Noah Syndergaard to a one-year deal worth $13 million according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Right-hander Noah Syndergaard and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on a contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. The 30-year-old Syndergaard is expected to join the Dodgers' starting rotation.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 14, 2022
Syndergaard is coming off a season that saw him split time between the Los Angeles Angels and the Philadelphia Phillies. Syndergaard appeared in 25 games in 2022, starting 24 of them. He pitched 134.2 innings with a 3.94 ERA, 95 strikeouts, and a 103 ERA+.
Noah Syndergaard’s Career
Noah Syndergaard was drafted out of high school in the first round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent almost two years in their minor league system before being traded in 2012. He was traded to the New York Mets, along with Wuilmer Becerra, John Buck, and Travis d’Arnaud. In return, the Blue Jays received R.A. Dickey, Mike Nickeas, and Josh Thole. Syndergaard would make his debut for the Mets on May 12th, 2015.
Syndergaard would spend the first seven years of his Major League Career in Queens. In 121 appearances for the Mets, he pitched 718 innings with a 3.32 ERA, 777 strikeouts, and a 119 ERA+. Despite the positive results, he has been a victim of injuries for the majority of his career, consequently only appearing in 30 or more games in a single season twice. However, he has appeared in 20 or more games in a single season five times in his career.
2022 saw a new version of Noah Syndergaard. Before 2022, Syndergaard carried a career strikeout rate of 26.4%. However, after having Tommy John surgery in March of 2020, his velocity dropped drastically as did his strikeout rate. In 2022, his strikeout rate was 16.8%, markedly lower than the league average. His fastball velocity had dipped from an average of 97.9 to an average of 94.5. Once a heavy heater pitcher, Syndergaard’s style of pitching had significantly changed.
Although he is only 30, Syndergaard’s injury history makes him a risky sign. The Dodgers did the best thing possible by only signing him to a one-year deal, therefore allowing him to test free agency again next off-season. This is a win-win for the veteran righty and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he should fit nicely in their rotation.
Main Photo:
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Players mentioned:
Noah Syndergaard, Wuilmer Becerra, John Buck, Travis d’Arnaud, R.A. Dickey, Mike Nickeas, Josh Thole
