The Padres enter Spring Training with several uncertainties surrounding their pitching rotation. They have expressed interest in a number of free agent starters, including Hyun Jin Ryu, Michael Lorenzen, and Eric Lauer. According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the team has also shown interest in veteran pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
While it was reported back in November that multiple teams had inquired about Syndergaard, the Pirates and Padres are currently the only teams publicly linked to him. It seems that Syndergaard may be considered a secondary option for many teams, as they prioritize more established rotation upgrades before turning to bounce-back candidates like Syndergaard.
In the 2023 season, Syndergaard struggled with injuries, throwing just 88 2/3 innings over 18 starts. Blisters sent him to the injured list for about seven weeks, and his season ended prematurely when he was released by the Cleveland Guardians in August. Despite a decent 4.9% walk rate, Syndergaard posted a disappointing 6.50 ERA and a low 14.3% strikeout rate. He also allowed a significant amount of hard contact and saw a decrease in fastball velocity, averaging only 92.2mph.
This decline in performance is a setback for Syndergaard, who was once considered one of the top pitchers in the National League. He missed most of the 2020-21 seasons due to Tommy John surgery but had relatively solid numbers (3.94 ERA, 5.5% walk rate) in 2022 with the Angels and Phillies. However, there were already signs of decline in strikeouts, velocity, and barrel rate, which led to Syndergaard signing a one-year, $13MM deal with the Dodgers last winter.
Acquiring Syndergaard would not necessarily provide stability to the Padres’ pitching staff, given his recent track record. It is unlikely that he will return to his Cy Young-caliber form. However, considering the Padres’ pitching needs and budget constraints, Syndergaard could be an affordable option to fill a spot at the back end of the rotation.
The Padres currently have Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Michael King as their top three starters. However, King has limited experience as a starting pitcher. The projected fourth and fifth starters, Pedro Avila, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez, have minimal MLB experience. Avila has only thrown 63 2/3 innings over four seasons, while Brito (90 1/3 IP) and Vasquez (37 2/3 IP) made their MLB debuts with the Yankees last year. As Acee points out, even if everyone remains healthy, the Padres will face challenges in covering innings. Signing Syndergaard or a similar veteran could help alleviate the workload for the less experienced starters.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com