Padres Interested In Noah Syndergaard
The San Diego Padres are considering adding Noah Syndergaard to their rotation as Spring Training begins.
Padres Showing Interest
The Padres are still uncertain about their rotation as they head into Spring Training. They have been keeping an eye on free agent starters like Hyun Jin Ryu, Michael Lorenzen, and Eric Lauer. And now, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that they are also interested in Noah Syndergaard.
Syndergaard has been on the radar of several teams since November, but the Pirates and Padres seem to be the only ones publicly linked to him so far. It appears that Syndergaard may be seen as a backup option for teams who are prioritizing more proven rotation upgrades.
Last year, Syndergaard had a rough season, with only 88 2/3 innings pitched over 18 starts. He struggled with blister problems that landed him on the injured list for about seven weeks. Syndergaard ended up being released by the Guardians in August. Despite a good walk rate, his ERA was 6.50 and his strikeout rate was only 14.3%.
Syndergaard's Recent Performance
Noah Syndergaard was once one of the top pitchers in the National League, but injuries have taken a toll on his career. He missed most of the 2020-21 seasons due to Tommy John surgery. In 2022, he had decent numbers with the Angels and Phillies, but there were already signs of decline in strikeouts, velocity, and barrel rate.
The Dodgers signed Syndergaard to a one-year, $13MM deal last winter, but he did not provide the stability they were hoping for. His recent track record raises doubts about whether he can return to his previous Cy Young form.
Despite the uncertainty, the Padres, with their pitching needs and budget limitations, may consider Syndergaard as a relatively inexpensive veteran option for the back end of their rotation.
Padres' Rotation Needs
The Padres currently have Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Michael King as their top three starters. However, King has limited experience as a starter, and the projected fourth and fifth starters, Pedro Avila, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez, have very limited MLB track records.
As Kevin Acee points out, even if everyone remains healthy, the Padres will struggle to cover innings. Signing Syndergaard or a comparable veteran could help lessen the workload for the less experienced starters.
Adding Syndergaard to the rotation is not a guarantee of stability, but it might be a necessary move for the Padres to address their pitching needs.
