Dodgers News: Noah Syndergaard Still Working to 'Relearn How to Throw Hard' Again

Dodgers pitched Noah Syndergaard's velocity was around 92 MPH on Tuesday, and while he wasn't happy about it, he still believes the improvement will come.

Dodgers pitcher Noah Syndergaard was one of the hardest throwers in baseball before his Tommy John surgery, regularly hitting triple digits and averaging about 98 MPH on his four-seam fastball every year until the elbow injury in 2020. Last year, Syndergaard pitched his first full season since the surgery, and his four-seamer averaged just 94.1 MPH, and while he was still reasonably effective (103 ERA+), he wasn't the same pitcher.

When Syndergaard signed with the Dodgers this offseason, he said his goal is to get back to throwing 100 MPH. Thor made his first appearance of the spring on Tuesday, and his velocity was mostly 91-92 MPH, with a flash of 93.

Noah Syndergaard’s day is done. Final line in his Dodgers spring training debut:

2 IP
1 H
2 K

He also allowed a stolen base.

His fastball topped at 93 mph, and the changeup looked really sharp. https://t.co/EWJKggNgdv

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) February 28, 2023

After his outing, reporters asked Syndergaard if that velocity range is what he expected in his first game of the spring, and Syndergaard was pretty blunt.

"No, not really, but it's just motivation to keep on working. I'm not too worried about it, I know it's still in there. Just the four months that you're not throwing during your rehab, you kinda lose a little bit or kinda forget how to throw hard. To relearn how to throw hard again, it's not the easiest thing to do."

“I think we have the right formula down, just you know, being consistent with it and trusting the routine, trusting the process.”@Noahsyndergaard is being patient with his arm and trusts the #Dodgers staff will get him back to his normal pitching speed. pic.twitter.com/v7N5lrN4rc

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 1, 2023

Beyond the velocity, Syndergaard is working to maintain consistency in his delivery mechanics, which he thinks will help him get the velocity back.

"To me, my biggest Achilles heel is delivery. If I can get my delivery down, I'll be able to utilize my strength and power and use it in an efficient manner. I think I'll be alright, but 92-93 is not it."

Syndergaard remains confident that he'll be able to "relearn how to throw hard" because of the team of coaches surrounding him.

“I think we have the right formula down, just you know, being consistent with it and trusting the routine, trusting the process. I'm surrounded by the best coaches in the world, so I'm confident that they'll get me back to where I need to be."

It's just one game, but Syndergaard's velocity throughout the spring is something everyone will have an eye on.

https://youtu.be/RZnCrE51xV0