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Guardians Release Noah Syndergaard

By Steve Adams | August 31, 2023 at 8:44am CDT

The Guardians have released right-hander Noah Syndergaard following his recent DFA, according to the transaction log at MLB.com. If he signs with a new team by 11:59pm ET tonight, he’ll be eligible for that club’s postseason roster.

Cleveland acquired the former All-Star in a swap of underwater contracts at the deadline, sending infielder Amed Rosario to the Dodgers in hopes that a change of scenery could help get Syndergaard back to form. Syndergaard, who’d pitched to a 7.16 ERA in 55 1/3 innings with Los Angeles, signed a one-year, $13MM deal with the Dodgers over the winter. Rosario, an impending free agent who’d been the Guardians’ primary shortstop since 2021, was hitting just .265/.306/.369 at the time of the swap. Neither player has gotten his performance back up to previous levels since the exchange, however.

The Guards might’ve at least hoped that Syndergaard could stabilize an injury-plagued rotation down the stretch, taking some of the innings that were lost when Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie or Cal Quantrill went down with long-term injuries. That hasn’t happened. Syndergaard made six starts with Cleveland, pitching to a 5.40 ERA with a 12.4% strikeout rate and 6.9% walk rate in 33 1/3 innings. That 12.4% strikeout rate is the lowest of any pitcher since the time of the trade (min. 30 innings).

Now 31 years old, Syndergaard was one of the most promising power pitchers in the sport early in his career, breaking out as a legitimate Cy Young contender early on. Through his first 518 1/3 big league innings, the 6’6″ righty notched a 2.93 ERA, fanning 27.1% of his opponents and averaging 98.2 mph on his heater along the way. Unlike so many flamethrowers, Syndergaard possessed pristine command, too; his 5.5% walk rate in that stretch was outstanding. His ERA spiked to 4.28 in 2019, but Syndergaard retained premium velocity, strikeout and walk rates while logging a career-high 197 2/3 innings.

Unfortunately, the present-day version of Syndergaard doesn’t look much like that peak version. Tommy John surgery wiped out the 2020 and 2021 seasons for Syndergaard, who serves as something of a cautionary tale and reminder that for as common as the procedure has become, a return to form following such a major surgery is by no means a foregone conclusion. He still boasts outstanding command — he’s walked just 4.9% of his opponents this year — but Syndergaard’s fastball averaged 92.8 mph in Los Angeles and was down to just 91.9 mph during his brief stint with Cleveland. The once-wicked slider that averaged a ridiculous 93.1 mph is down to 85 mph in each of the past two seasons, and his peak 14.2% swinging-strike rate has plummeted to a well below-average 8.2%.

Syndergaard will now hit the market as a depth option for postseason hopefuls. He’ll cost a new club only the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster. With active rosters set to expand from 26 to 28 players tomorrow, he’ll have a clearer path back to a big league roster, although a team in the midst of a tight postseason race would likely be wary of plugging him right into the rotation. Many have wondered what Syndergaard might look like coming out of the bullpen — he’s only made two relief appearances in his career — and that could be another avenue for him to join a contender’s staff.

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Cleveland Guardians Newsstand Transactions Noah Syndergaard

The Opener: Postseason Eligibility Deadline, AL West Race, Braves/Dodgers
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Brewers Sign Greg Allen; Acquire Chris Roller From Guardians
View Comments (38)
Post a Comment

38 Comments

  1. The Saber-toothed Superfife

    2 years ago

    Sad.

    1
    Reply
  2. Lefty_Orioles_Fan

    2 years ago

    Orioles could sign him to a minor league deal, I would be down with that

    2
    Reply
  3. solaris602

    2 years ago

    I can’t believe CLE released him. They have burned completely to the bottom of their depth chart, and we still don’t know to what extent Gavin Williams is injured. If they think they can find someone better than Syndergaard at this point, good luck.

    2
    Reply
    • stymeedone

      2 years ago

      Have you looked at his numbers? The difficult part would be to find someone worse.

      8
      Reply
      • isolatedpower

        2 years ago

        Luis Severino is still taking the ball every 5th day for the Yankees.

        2
        Reply
        • ThonolansGhost

          2 years ago

          Severino has looked very good in his last two starts.

          Reply
        • isolatedpower

          2 years ago

          It’s the first time in his career he had 2 consecutive games of 6 IP and 5 hits or less. That’s not great from a 6 year vet

          Reply
  4. ohyeadam

    2 years ago

    Time to move into a reliever role? Might be able to get some of the life back on his pitches in shorter stints. Possibly stay healthy too

    3
    Reply
    • Idosteroids

      2 years ago

      Yea I wonder if he goes to a baseball academy like line drive and retools his mechanics. Hes only 31, but it feels like hes been around forever.

      Reply
    • iverbure

      2 years ago

      What makes fans think being a RP is easier to stay healthier than pitching every 5th day? John Smoltz said SP was way easier on his arm than being a RP.

      3
      Reply
      • ohyeadam

        2 years ago

        My logic is fewer innings = less pitches = less chance of injury. Probably the same logic used by the Braves when Smoltz was used as a reliever

        1
        Reply
        • iverbure

          2 years ago

          My logic is if the player says something was harder it’s harder

          2
          Reply
  5. loaferboss

    2 years ago

    Guardians will reap on a minor league deal and work with him.

    Reply
  6. JRamHOF

    2 years ago

    The end of the Syndergaardian era

    1
    Reply
    • Mike Sullivan

      2 years ago

      Don’t be so sure! Keep hope alive! Baseball history, even fairly recently, has a good number of pitcher “second-phase” career tracks.

      Reply
  7. CIPERSPECTIVE

    2 years ago

    Bad deal for the Guards. LA got the better of this deal as Rosario is, at least, a veteran on a playoff team. Re. Who they can get now, Giolito us available and CLE appears to have the worst record of any playoff contender so there is that.

    1
    Reply
    • JRamHOF

      2 years ago

      The problem is, Rosario simply isn’t good

      2
      Reply
      • windmill_noise_causes_cancer

        2 years ago

        He’s much better than a washed Syndergaard

        1
        Reply
      • dodgrbluu

        2 years ago

        @enjoylindor If Rosario wasn’t any good, I don’t think a WS contending team would’ve traded for him. He mashes against LHP, has good baserunning speed, and plays solid defense. All those attributes count in postseason baseball.

        1
        Reply
        • JRamHOF

          2 years ago

          Negative 14 DRS this season is “solid defense”? His speed can’t make up for his poor defense and 88 wRC+. The Dodgers also traded for Kike Hernandez

          2
          Reply
        • dodgrbluu

          2 years ago

          What does Kike have to do with anything? I know the Dodgers traded for him. The conversation was about Rosario and your comment about him not being any good. The poor defense you’re talking about was during his time in Cleveland. Here in L.A hes been solid.

          Reply
        • JRamHOF

          2 years ago

          My point was that the Dodgers, who are indeed World Series contenders, acquired not one but two poverty middle infielders at the deadline. By the way, his “solid” defense with the Dodgers raised his season DRS from -15 to -14

          Reply
  8. The Einheri

    2 years ago

    I’d take a chance on him if he would try coming out of the pen.

    2
    Reply
  9. Melchez17

    2 years ago

    Tigers going to make the push for the playoffs…
    LOL

    Reply
    • WestVillageTiger

      2 years ago

      Thor is a perfect candidate for Chris Fetter’s restoration program, for sure. Michael Lorenzen is certainly a believer…

      Reply
  10. Melchez17

    2 years ago

    Wouldn’t that be a hoot if he signed with the Dodgers? Guardians basically gave the Dodgers Rosario and then paid Thor.

    Reply
    • StraightUpTexas

      2 years ago

      Guards are tanking now that Minnesota has pulled so far ahead.

      Reply
      • oscar gamble

        2 years ago

        Not true

        2
        Reply
    • stymeedone

      2 years ago

      I will guess that no one wastes a 40 man spot on him.

      1
      Reply
    • kingsfan1968

      2 years ago

      Not a chance!

      Reply
    • kingsfan1968

      2 years ago

      Noah to the Padres makes sense!

      Reply
  11. Old York

    2 years ago

    What a terrible call I made on this guy, thinking he could come back. I should also be DFA’d and released from MLBTR.

    3
    Reply
    • Bart Harley Jarvis

      2 years ago

      @Old York,
      Don’t be so hard on yourself. There’s plenty of posters here that’ll gladly do that for you.

      2
      Reply
      • Old York

        2 years ago

        @Bart Harley Jarvis

        I appreciate the support to DFA me and release me from MLBTR.

        2
        Reply
    • Not a clever name

      2 years ago

      Might have been a terrible call, but your comment gave me a good chuckle. So you have more redeeming qualities than NS old York.

      2
      Reply
    • Seamus O'Meara

      2 years ago

      I’d pick you up and plug you in a platoon role in RF. I could use your high contact abilities, strong defense and speed.

      3
      Reply
  12. alexthegod

    2 years ago

    Not only loss of velocity, his fastball has no movement.

    Reply
  13. popitforpoppa

    2 years ago

    dodgers fleeced the indians lmao

    Reply

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