Noah Syndergaard has always been a big deal in Queens. Whether it is for his hair, his high octane arm capable of bringing more gas than a brand new stove, or for the fact that he’s always in the mix when trade season comes around. For the first time since his debut in 2015, he was not that big of a deal back in March after undergoing Tommy John. We all had bigger problems then, and we still do. We have as many worries as we have toilet paper and bottled water. Elbow surgery will help Syndergaard in the long run, it might as well save his career at the cost of a lost season. The Mets, however, will have to say goodbye to Thor as the hammer has been dropped.
2018 was the last solid year for Syndergaard. He remained mostly healthy as only his index finger and a case of hand-foot-mouth disease sidelined him for a short while. This was quite the contrast with the rest of the team as the injury plague struck the Mets like a lightning bolt. The long-haired metropolitan had a strong showing on the mound as well.
His 13-4 record looked good on paper, but it looked even better when backed up by the numbers. Syndergaard posted a 3.93 ERA alongside a 1.212 WHIP. In addition, he boasted a solid 2.80 FIP. Base on balls was a problem for him as he gave up 39 free tickets to first base, nonetheless, only 55 men scored when he started at Citi Field. Things, however, changed dramatically a year later.
Bumps on the Road and Soreness of the Elbow
Things went downhill in 2019. Thor kept his winning record as he posted a 10-8 mark. Everything else, however, went down as fast as a bowling ball off the Empire State Building. His ERA rose to 4.28. WHIP saw a slight increase as well at 1.234. Granted, he’s not the only to only one to blame as the defense was lackluster, and runs were hard to come by. New York’s rebound late in the season wasn’t enough to get them a Wild Card ticket, partially thanks to the mistakes made earlier in the season. The only thing Syndergaard had going in his favor was his labor on its own as he managed to throw 197 and 2/3 innings, 43 1/3 more than the year before. However, as we found out in March, even that came at a cost.
A Hot Free Agent in the Making
Stepping on the mound is nothing but wishful thinking for the blonde starter. However, that’s not where the problem lies. That might be the least of Syndergaard’s worries. Free agency is a problem, a problem for the Mets. He could bounce back nicely from surgery, or he could tumble trough the 162 games schedule. Whatever the case, that’s a concern for next year. In the meantime, the fan-favorite will lick his wounds, and the Metropolitans will be stuck with an arm they can’t use. Not only that, but losing him to free agency is a very real possibility.
Healed or not, Thor is bound to be one of the biggest free agent alongside Mookie Betts in 2021. The years of not pulling the trigger on a trade have made him an even more desirable acquisition. Not to mention, he throws fire when healthy and is a marketing magnet.
Letting Go and the Quest for the Lost Hammer
Of course, the Mets will fight for him, they won’t just give up on one half of their core pitching duo. Nonetheless, years of beating their own shameful record for underachievers of the year and practically handing over a World Series title to the Royals makes giving up actually easier than fighting to keep him on the roster. He’s a moneymaker and a valuable asset for any team. New York had their chance and they couldn’t cash in. Time’s up for them.
The hammer is lost. So it’s been ever since the start of 2019. Will Thor ever get it back? Yes, he will. Thankfully, he’ll do so well away from Queens.
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