4:05pm: Per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, Syndergaard gets $30K per month in the minors. If he’s selected to the majors, he gets a base salary of $1.75MM, though that would presumably be prorated to account for the portion of the season that has already transpired. He can earn an extra $50K by logging 40 innings and $100K each for getting to 55 and 75 innings. He also has a release clause if he’s not in the majors prior to August 1st.
8:47am: The White Sox have signed former All-Star righty Noah Syndergaard to a minor league contract, per James Fegan of Sox Machine. The CAA client is headed to the team’s spring complex in Arizona to build up.
Syndergaard, 33 in August, hasn’t pitched in the majors since splitting the 2023 season between the Dodgers and Guardians. The former Mets star was one of the sport’s most promising young arms from 2015-19 before injuries derailed his career. Syndergaard posted a combined 3.31 ERA with a 26.4% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate in 716 innings over that five-year period but never got back on track after multiple arm injuries, most notably including Tommy John surgery.
The Angels signed Syndergaard post-surgery, shelling out a hefty $21MM on a one-year deal and forfeiting a draft pick — the Mets had issued him a qualifying offer — in hopes he’d recapture his ace form. He pitched more like a fourth starter with the Halos, logging a 3.83 ERA with a below-average strikeout rate and a heater that was down more than three miles per hour. They traded him to the Phillies for Mickey Moniak at the ’22 trade deadline, and he gave Philadelphia a similar performance.
A 2023 deal to join the Dodgers didn’t pan out, and L.A. swapped him out for another underperforming veteran (Amed Rosario) in a deadline deal with Cleveland that year. Syndergaard didn’t pitch well with either club and wound up being released by the Guardians about a month after the trade. He opted not to sign anywhere for the 2024 season despite rumored interest from the Padres and Pirates. Midway through last summer, it was reported that Syndergaard was setting his sights on a 2025 comeback. That’ll manifest in the form of an early-summer deal with a rebuilding White Sox club that can provide ample opportunity.
All told, Syndergaard has pitched only 225 1/3 innings in the majors since returning from Tommy John surgery. He’s pitched to a 4.99 ERA in that time with a 15.9% strikeout rate that’s nowhere close to his prior standards. Syndergaard averaged 98.6 mph on his fastball at peak, per Statcast, but has sat 93.2 mph post-surgery — including a 92.2 mph average between Cleveland and Los Angeles in 2023.
With the prevalence of Tommy John surgery in today’s sport, it’s easy to presume the surgery will be a 14-month (give or take) bump in the road for pitchers — one from which they’ll bounce back to full strength or something close to it. Syndergaard is a key reminder that such surgeries are major procedures that come with no promise of rebounding to full strength, or even an approximation of peak form. Hopefully, he can get back on track with the South Siders, but given his post-surgery performance and a big league layoff now approaching two calendar years, Syndergaard is more or less a risk-free lottery ticket for GM Chris Getz’s club.
Haven’t heard that name in a while
His arm is “fresh” and the White Sox are simply taking a shot. If he outperforms expectations, they hope to move him before the deadline.
Absolutely worth a shot. Hope he does well.
It’s a minor league deal and there’s only a month until the deadline.
They are getting absolutely nothing for him.
Yep, worth a try!
More likely, they are looking for someone to fill innings through the second half of the season. All of their young pitchers are quickly approaching, or already past, their innings pitched in the past and they need to limit the risk of injury
Agree on that aspect as well. If he shows he’s healthy, with some pop even if it’s not nearly like it was and he maintains decent control, some teams will offer something better than what they have. It’s all about continuing to get depth and then who knows?
More likely they hope to move someone who is doing a lot better than he will likely do. And actually get something in return.
The Sox are going to have their fire sale on anyone who is moderately successful that they can trade for lottery tickets, one of which is likely Houser, and the other Civale, to someone desperate enough for starters, so there will be at least one opening in the rotation sooner than later.
However, for me, this move makes little sense, as there is little chance the Sox will get him to the majors and him building up enough of a reputation to get him moved by the trade deadline. If they cannot get him moved by the trade deadline then they are going to have him what, for the remainder of the season where afterward he can go somewhere else if successful? Or release him, so one of these teams picks him up for free?
Sounds like wasting money, which ‘the Mummy’ does not like.
Thor goes to the South Side.
Dumpster Diving Getz
It’s the White Sox. Did you… I mean… Dude. You’re mad Getz didn’t go out and acquire a superstar so the White Sox could finish the season at 55-107 instead of 51-111?
You’d be able to make the same statement if Getz gave an extension to any of like 20 of the 26 man roster guys, LOL.
Clevinger, Syndegaard…What does Getz think guys like that are gonna get him in trades? Right on the mark, martras.
It’s a lottery ticket signing. With a team that has no post-season expectations you can stand to play guys with poor peripherals, improve them, and then flip them at the trade deadline. This has been done by rebuilding teams for the past 40 years.
Just posted the same thing
Not a month before the deadline and with a pitcher who hasn’t pitched in 2 years.
About time he gets ready for the majors (Assuming he ever does) The deadline will be over.
@Darren – I’m sure this isn’t a charity signing by the White Sox.
Worst case, he’s throwing 92mph and the White Sox release him for nothing.
Middle case, he’s building up, looks good at AAA as he stretches out, velo is up a bit, and the White Sox get first crack at making him a low-ball MLB offer for next year while they have his rights.
Best case, he’s throwing upper 90s again, White Sox can fast track him to MLB and stretch him out in the big show for a couple games prior to the deadline.
I guarantee you, if Thor is back above 95 and healthy, he’ll attract the attention of teams. I don’t think this is the likely scenario, but it’s not like the White Sox have anything invested in this lottery ticket.
He might get cash considerations. Which will please Jerry.
But if guys like Getz don’t overpay some random guy, who am I going to complain about, very loudly and incessantly, no wonder how many looks from people I get in the stands, that the guy is an overpaid bum?
8, Did you figure that line all by yourself.
Every GM does a little dumpster diving
So let me understand, Sheep: Your point is that Getz SHOULDN’T try to improve his team??
Hopefully he shows that he can still pitch somewhat effectively
Perhaps as a RP now.
That’s digging pretty deep. LOL
Maybe they can trade him at the deadline for a Dodger dog.
I really want him to rebound but feel like its impossible after his tj surgery.
I was shocked when I heard hes signing with the white sox. He’ll be their ace by the end of the year
Exactly what the White Sox should be doing.
White Sox have had success with starters. If he even remotely does well, he’s a trade chip to get some prospects back.
Poor Thor, these White Sox are more Thunderbolts than Avengers…
Thunderbolts are the B team, White Sox are more of the C team right now.
It really sounded like Syndergaard wasn’t willing to accept how far he’d fallen last year by taking a MiLB deal. Not sure if he’s accepted he’s no longer anything other than an innings eater type or if he’s actually found some of that missing velocity. I’d expect the former, otherwise we’d have heard a lot more about him doing invites and throwing hard again.
martras: He’ll be dfa’d by the end of the week, then re-signed to a minor league deal. And on and on the losing carousel goes.
He is on a minor league deal. Duh!
As ChiSox points out, it’s a MiLB deal. Even if he is on a MiLB deal, there’s a high degree of likelihood he’ll be DFA’d and released IMHO.
Syndergaard should have taken the path a lot of other pitchers have taken. MLB -> KBO/Japan -> MLB. Makes me feel like he probably did have some arm issues to work through.
I’m a little concerned because I didn’t read that he has received any “rave reviews” prior to the signing in this article.
Why not? Not like it costs much…
That seems like wasted money. This guy gives up more hits than innings pitched, so why not use a career AAA pitcher that’ll never make it to the major leagues then bring this guy in
Getz probably signed him just to bug you and make you ask questions on mlbtr.
Perhaps the time off has helped. I suspect not, but no harm in a minor league deal to find out.
Wishing him the best. He was a beast in his prime.
More Antman than Thor
Antman has some thunder in him, just enough lol
Best of luck to you!
Just hang ‘em up bro 😭
Saw a video of him going to a chiropractic specialist. Apparently he had something similar going on to TOA that was apparently relieved?
How the mighty Thor has fallen
Well maybe this is what his arm needed some rest and relaxation. Maybe a three out closer is what he can become
I love this. Perfect type of team to give him a go and see what he’s got.
The state that the Braves rotation is in, I wish we would have landed this minor league deal
bravesfan: No you don’t.
Guess he’s not going to play in the Mets old timers day anymore.
He must love the game. He’s made plenty of money.
People with a lot of money usually want even more money.
Hey I remember him!
This must be End Game Thor, where he is fat and depressed.
Endgame Thor still was super powerful, even after getting fat. He was giving Thanos the hands in the final battle. I don’t know if this Thor has the same sort of comeback in him.
That’s true! Let’s hope he has it in him.
The shocking part is he is only 33
Age or ERA?
Time for a Trevor Bauer deal next!!!!
🤮
He’s spent the past two years pushing woo-woo MAHA supplement ideas, so expect an injury in a few days after he ramps up.
So the Mets completely burnt this guy out ? Is that what happened ?
He had Tommy John surgery and was never really the same afterwards. Lost a lot of his velocity, which he heavily relied on to be effective.
Well someone will have to pitch when they sell off… Smith, Martin and Houser. I mean I guess they will. That’s not a foundation for returning to winning.
He does look like Thor
He could put butts in seats.
Cashman should have considered him. He goes after much worse talent. Could have been a win win situation. Chicago could even trade him at the TD.
As a Dodger, the only butt he put in the seat was his own when he was benched
Even at his peak with the Mets, Syndergaard would sometimes struggle to put guys away. He threw 100mph, and didn’t walk a ton of guys like many hard throwers. However, I remember watching so many long ABs with guys just fouling a ton of pitches off and wondering why he couldn’t put guys away.
In the minors he got his “Thor” nickname partly because of his hair, but also because of his “hammer” of a curveball that never really translated to the big leagues. I always wondered what would happen if he lost a few ticks of velocity as he got older. If he could adjust or if he would end up just getting hit harder.
Also, along with DeGrom, Syndergaard had zero ability to hold runners on. So many SBs against with their bad pickoff moves and being so slow to the plate. Didn’t matter when they were dominant. It may matter more now. I still root for him and DeGrom, and hope he can catch on with the white Sox. Trade bait for them if he pitches well.
He won’t have any pressure playing for the White Sox, so he could dominate by being fearless.
Why not? He might become the team’s best pitcher, that’s not saying a lot, but it’s true.
Yeah, we can knock it all day and night but if Syndergaard actually makes it to the majors with the White Sox, I will be more than happy to see him pitch in a Sox uniform. Loves him in his prime.
“Majors” and “White Sox” is an oxymoron at this point in history.
Clearly Syndergaard shouldn’t have been messing with Mrs. Met. She infected him with the overrated bust thing. That or Mr. Met went to some Botanica shop in Queens and put some mojo on Syndergaard.
He’s been complete garbage since…not that he ever proved he could have long term success.
I propose legislation to institute a 7-year statute of limitations on referring to an active player as a former all-star.