Does Acquiring Syndergaard Make Sense for the Philadelphia Phillies?

The Philadelphia Phillies are in need of a starting pitcher, and Noah Syndergaard could be a solid fit for their rotation.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Noah Syndergaard knows a thing or two about the National League East, having begun his career with the Philadelphia Phillies' rival New York Mets.

Syndergaard compiled five solid seasons for New York between 2015 and 2019, pitching to a 3.31 ERA and 2.92 FIP with a 2.1 BB/9 and 9.7 K/9 across 716 innings.

That all changed during spring training in 2020, though, as the right-hander began experiencing elbow discomfort. An MRI revealed a torn UCL, meaning he would require Tommy John surgery. He missed all of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and most of the next year as well, but eventually returned to the Mets in Sept. 2021.

He only pitched two innings last season, one where he picked up two strikeouts and topped out at 96 mph, and another that saw his ERA skyrocket to 9.00. New York extended Syndergaard a qualifying offer in the offseason, but he elected to sign with the Los Angeles Angels for a one-year deal worth $21 million in November.

Syndergaard has been decent in the Angels' starting rotation thus far. Through 14 starts, he's posted an ERA of 4.00 and tossed 74.1 innings. One thing of concern is his strikeout rate, which has taken a noticeable dip compared to his career numbers, with a K/9 of 7.

However, "Thor" is due to bounce back. He's still averaging 94 mph with his fastball, and as he becomes further removed from Tommy John surgery, he's bound to only get stronger. Syndergaard is still just 29 years old, about a month away from turning 30, and with a 6'6", 242 lb. frame, he remains a force to be reckoned with on the mound.

Noah Syndergaard with Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz in 2019 / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Although he's not as dominant as he once was, Syndergaard would still slot into many rotations across Major League Baseball very well. Additionally, the Angels are going to be sellers at the deadline due to their season falling apart after a hot start. One team that could benefit from his presence would be the Phillies.

For the second consecutive season, Philadelphia could be without Zach Eflin down the stretch due to nagging knee issues. Eflin has been dealing with the injury since mid-June, and with the uncertainty of his health, the Phillies cannot take the chance to be without a mid-rotation arm or afford any more bullpen games if they wish to make the postseason.

Syndergaard would be a great fit for Philadelphia's rotation and would not come at too steep of a price. A deal with the Phillies may also appeal to the Angels, as Philadelphia possesses one of their biggest needs: a catcher. It may not even take Inside the Phillies' no. 3 ranked prospect Logan O'Hoppe; Rafael Marchan could fulfill their need at backstop. Package Marchan with a pitching prospect, such as Ben Brown or Erik Miller, and you've got yourself a deal.

Syndergaard becomes a free agent at the conclusion of the 2022 season, and the Phillies could look to sign him to a new deal. Kyle Gibson is slated to become a free agent following the season as well, and with Syndergaard being younger and boasting a higher ceiling, Philadelphia may elect to re-sign him over Gibson.

Finally, Syndergaard would also be reuniting with Zack Wheeler, with whom he was a member of the Mets' rotation for three seasons. Known to be an instigator, joining the Mets' division rival may be appealing to Syndergaard. When Wheeler signed with Philadelphia in 2019, he tweeted this:

Quick Tale: You have this friend which you want the best for. He leaves, and gets his 💰. You should/want to be happy for him, but he is now an enemy because he went to the land of enemies.

I finally understand the emotion of this meme: pic.twitter.com/IWnGZxvbD1

— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) December 5, 2019

Hm, could Syndergaard join his old friend in the "land of enemies"? Only the trade deadline will tell...

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