Noah Syndergaard Spurns Mets Qualifying Offer, Signs with Angels
As the New York Mets are about to ink former Los Angeles Angels General Manager Billy Eppler to a deal to be their new GM, right hander Noah Syndergaard is leaving the Mets for the Angels.
The hard throwing righty nicknamed THOR by Mets fans for his flowing-golden locks and 99 mph heater, inked a 1-year, $21 million deal with the Angels.
Noah Syndergaard and the Angels have agreed on a 1-year, $21M contract, per @JeffPassan. pic.twitter.com/E2dn0Ffn8x
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 16, 2021
Shield your eyes Mets fans…
A new chapter for Noah Syndergaard pic.twitter.com/YTyeDmoR1x
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) November 16, 2021
The Mets had offered Syndergaard a qualifying offer of $18.4 million for the 2022 season. The Mets will receive draft pick compensation in the form of something around the 70th overall pick according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The Angels are taking a risk on Syndergaard who had only pitched two innings since 2019 after battling Tommy John Surgery. The Mets believed that the qualifying offer for Syndergaard was good enough. Syndergaard himself even indicated he would “grateful” for such a deal when he spoke with beat writers before the 2021 season ended. Instead he took three million dollars more to head to Southern California.
JUPITER, FL – MARCH 01: Pitchers (L-R) Bartolo Colon, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler pose for photos during media day at Traditions Field on March 1, 2016 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)
In seven years with the Mets, Syndergaard pitched to a 47-31 record with a 3.32 ERA and 777 strikeouts. After bursting onto the scene in 2015, especially in that year’s postseason where he won Game 3 of the World Series against the Kansas City Royals, Syndergaard struggled to capture that magic again mainly due to injury.
This means of the plethora of once vaunted arms the Mets once boasted back in 2015, Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Zach Wheeler, Steven Matz, and Jacob deGrom, only deGrom remains. While deGrom has certainly been the best of the group, winning a pair of Cy Young Awards, his future is in question after sustaining an elbow injury that cost him the second half of last season. Who knows what deGrom will look like come next season.
The Mets need for pitching only increases now with Syndergaard’s departure. Marcus Stroman, a free agent, almost certainly becomes a priority for New York.
