Noah ‘Thor’ Syndergaard (LA Dodgers), who had a reason for his extreme slump, was finally placed on the injured list (IL).
“LA Dodgers Noah Syndergaard has been placed on the disabled list with a blister on his right hand,” MLB.com reported on Sept. 9 (ET). It is difficult to gauge when he will return as he is on the 15-day disabled list instead of 10 days.
After returning from Tommy John surgery and going 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts, Syndergaard turned down a qualifying offer (QO) from the New York Mets after the 2021 season to join the Los Angeles Angels in free agency. Syndergaard struggled to find success with the Angels, but his 5-8 record and 3.83 ERA weren’t too shabby, and he was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline.
In Philadelphia, he had a higher ERA (4.12) than he did with the Angels, but he got some help from his offense, going 5-2 and finishing the 2021 season with a 10-10 record and a 3.94 ERA. However, Syndergaard’s free agency dreams were not fulfilled. After the season, there weren’t many teams looking for him, and Syndergaard looked to rebound by signing a one-year, $13 million deal with the Dodgers.
But Syndergaard is having the worst season of his career this year. Starting against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 27, he has struggled against relatively weak teams like the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds, giving up five or more runs in three straight games. His record this season is 1-4 with a 7.16 ERA in 12 games 안전놀이터.
The cause of his decline is somewhat obvious. Gone is the 100-mph (161-kilometer) fastball he once threw. His fastball average velocity has dropped significantly since undergoing Tommy John surgery. The drop in velocity is partly due to the aftermath of the major surgery, but it’s also due to the blisters that have plagued Syndergaard’s fingers all season, which led to him being placed on the disabled list after the Cincinnati game on Aug. 8.
“I think the physical, mental and emotional parts of it took a toll, just like he said,” manager Dave Roberts said, according to MLB.com. “He’s got to do a reset to get out of this situation. I think he was desperate to get back to where he could throw 100 mph. Hopefully, this will give him a little more clarity on who he is as a pitcher.”
Syndergaard’s confidence was at an all-time low after a season-long slump. “When I think about pitching, I don’t have a lot of positive feelings right now,” Syndergaard said in late May. I’m not the same after the setbacks I had coming back from Tommy John surgery. I don’t think I’m good enough right now to go out there and pitch well against a team like Tampa Bay.”
Despite being placed on the 15-day disabled list, there is no timetable for Syndergaard’s return. “Roberts expects Syndergaard to return in the second half of the season,” according to MLB.com. Despite Syndergaard’s absence from the lineup, there is good news. Ace Julio Urias, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, is set to return to the mound on April 12.
It will be interesting to see if Syndergaard can recapture the 100-mph fastball he once threw with dreams of a free agent breakout.