Ex-Mets All-Star Could Be Intriguing Bounce-Back Candidate for Yankees

Should the Yankees pursue the former Mets fireballer in free agency?

The New York Yankees need to bring in some rotation help this offseason.

New York already has drastically improved the outfield by bringing in Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham in two trades. The Yankees now will need to turn their focus to the rotation.

The Yankees tried to land former Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto but failed to do so as the Los Angeles Dodgers swooped in and got a deal done. New York now has been linked to top starters like Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell in free agency.

It sounds like the Yankees are going to try to get a deal done with Montgomery but it's unclear if one will come to fruition. 

Even if the Yankees can land a deal with Montgomery, it wouldn't hurt to bring in another starter on a cheap contract with upside. One player who could make sense is former New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cleveland Guardians fireballer Noah Syndergaard.

The 31-year-old is a free agent once again but struggled last season with Los Angeles and Cleveland. He compiled a 6.50 ERA in 18 total starts. Although this is the case, he still is an intriguing candidate in free agency. 

Syndergaard logged a 3.94 ERA in 25 appearances in 2022 and at one point was one of the top starters in the National League as a member of the Mets. He may not be what he once was as injuries have derailed his career, but he does have some upside and could be signed for cheap. 

The Yankees need more rotation depth. Why not take a chance on him?