Noah Syndergaard had an extremely promising start to his MLB career. He came up with the New York Mets in 2015 and was named an All-Star in 2016. With a loaded arsenal that featured a lively fastball and a wipeout slider, he was thought to be the next best thing in the pitching world and was even given the nickname “Thor.”
Thor was a good nickname for Syndergaard, who was thought to “bring the hammer down” on hitters, which he did earlier in his career with New York. However, since missing two seasons with injuries from 2020-2021, things have just not gone well for Syndergaard.
In 120 starts with the Mets over six seasons, Syndergaard had a 3.32 ERA and 777 strikeouts. But once those injuries came into his life, his career took a downward spiral.
Chicago White Sox Release Noah Syndergaard
On Sunday, Syndergaard was released by the Chicago White Sox in a number of moves the club made. A lot of people probably didn’t even know that he was on the White Sox, but they signed him to a minor league deal back in June, giving him what feels like his 10th chance to see if he’s figured things out again on the mound. The minor league deal marked Syndergaard’s first contract since 2023, as he did not pitch for any organization in 2024. Since 2022, he has spent time with five different organizations, and had really poor numbers back in 2023 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Guardians.
In 88.2 innings during the 2023 season, Syndergaard posted a 6.50 ERA. Pitchers like the former New York Mets standout always get second chances, and they are usually with the hope that a new organization can rediscover something or make a tweak that the previous team could not.
The White Sox started Syndergaard off in rookie ball, where he pitched fairly well, but he got lit up with their Triple-A affiliate. With the Charlotte Knights, he was battered around in just eight innings. He recorded just two strikeouts and gave up a remarkable five home runs. A fall off that needs to be studied, it would be shocking if another team took a chance on Syndergaard.
Could Retirement Be a Possibility?
MLBtraderumors.com writer Mark Polishuk was on the news and commented on the career crossroads that Syndergaard is facing:
“While eight innings is obviously a small sample size, it was enough for the White Sox to decide to move on from Syndergaard, putting the former All-Star at yet another career crossroads. Syndergaard turns 33 later this month, and it is fair to wonder if retirement could be a possibility. Despite his past pedigree, the amount of time it took for him to land even a minor league contract could indicate that evaluators simply doubt he can ever regain any of his past effectiveness.”
Noah Syndergaard was another victim of not being able to return to his former self after a Tommy John Surgery. The elbow injury sidelined him for nearly two years, and his statistics, like almost all pitchers who return from that injury, took a major dip.
It’s Time Former Mets Pitcher Noah Syndergaard Hangs Up the Cleats