The Los Angeles Dodgers were supposed to present an ideal opportunity for Noah Syndergaard to reestablish himself as an upper echelon starter in the MLB. If everything went well this season, the man nicknamed Thor would be poised to sign a long-term contract in free agency. That quest for redemption will unexpectedly continue with the Cleveland Guardians, beginning Monday, per MLB.com's Mandy Bell
Syndergaard is still officially on the 15-day injured list with a finger injury that has kept him sidelined since June but will take the mound against the Houston Astros next week. It will mark his first start since the Dodgers traded him and cash for shortstop Amed Rosario on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old posted a 7.14 ERA in 12 starts for LA while giving up 12 home runs. The result was obviously not what either side envisioned when a one-year, $13 million contract was agreed upon last winter. A trade was not something that seemed feasible after his struggles, but the Guardians are maybe the only team desperate enough to take a gamble of Syndergaard right now.
They have already endured lengthy stretches without starters Triston McKenzie, Cal Quantrill and Aaron Civale this season and just moved former Cy Young Shane Bieber to the 60-day IL. Cleveland is 51-51 and sits just two games behind the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central, but the front office was unlikely to be aggressive ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Still, something needed to be done.
A healthy Noah Syndergaard who can at least revert back to his 2022 form (3.94 ERA) might be enough for this resilient franchise to once again squeeze into the postseason.
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