Elbow surgery complicates Syndergaard free agency
Noah Syndergaard’s push toward a ninefigure contract was supposed to begin this season.
The Mets right-hander didn’t pitch at a particularly high level in 2019, but also had two full seasons until free agency as spring training began this year. That would leave plenty of time to demonstrate he’s still a premier pitcher worthy of the kind of contract former teammate Zack Wheeler received.
Wheeler parlayed two strong seasons with the Mets — or, more succinctly, two dominant second halves — into a five-year contract with the Phillies worth $118 million. Syndergaard, with every bit the arsenal, could have possibly been looking at that kind of deal or greater. Or maybe an outstanding 2020 season by Syndergaard would have led to a contract extension from the Mets even before the pitcher arrived at free agency.
And then the COVID-19 outbreak placed this season in jeopardy.
But baseball’s shutdown wasn’t the worst occurrence in March for the 27-year-old Syndergaard, who had pitched with elbow discomfort in spring training. After the exhibition season was suspended, he received an MRI exam that revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament. Syndergaard underwent Tommy John surgery on March 26, eliminating the possibility he will pitch in 2020, even if this season is played. The rehab is 12-15 months, meaning Syndergaard could also miss half of next season.
For his part, Syndergaard is remaining optimistic, recently telling a group of youth baseball players on a Zoom chat his goal is the Opening Day roster next year. It’s more likely the Mets won’t see him until at least June 2021. It leaves the club with a prime asset, but also handcuffed in a sense.
“What are you going to do with him?” a former team official asked rhetorically. “He’s not going to be ready to pitch until maybe June next year, you are not going to trade him in the offseason. You can maybe trade him at the trade deadline, but if you fancy yourself a contender like the Mets do, then they are not going to do that.
“I would just assume hold him, there is nothing you can do, nobody is going to want an injured pitcher coming back from Tommy John with no guarantee that he can pitch in 2020 or 2021.”
Wheeler was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery in 2015 when he nearly got traded to the Brewers (along with Wilmer Flores) in a deal that would have brought Carlos Gomez to the Mets. But general manager Sandy Alderson nixed the trade because of concerns about Gomez’s medicals. The Brewers had time on their side in their willingness to gamble on Wheeler, just four months removed from Tommy John surgery — he
would have been under club control for another four seasons, whereas a team trading for Syndergaard might get him for just four months. Wheeler ultimately missed two full seasons rehabbing.
The Mets dangled Syndergaard at last year’s trade deadline and the previous winter. Syndergaard was also available at the trade deadline in 2018. Each time the Mets viewed Syndergaard’s upside as greater than anything they might have received in a trade.
Last season was the worst of his career statistically: Syndergaard went 10-8 with a 4.28 ERA and 1.234 WHIP. In his second year of arbitration eligibility, Syndergaard agreed to a contract worth $9.7 million. He will remain in that price range for 2021, when he will look toward a potential windfall should he rebound strong from the surgery.
“You can try to extend him, but he hasn’t shown any real interest in being extended and it’s also not a great time for him to agree to something like an extension, because he is coming off Tommy John,” the former team official said. “I don’t think they have many options and they can try to negotiate with him when he’s healthy if they want to see what he could do.”