The Los Angeles Angels made one of the boldest early moves of MLB free agency, inking right-hander Noah Syndergaard to a one-year, $21 million deal. This pact was made with Syndergaard’s injury history in mind; he hasn’t made a true start since 2019 (Syndergaard made two one-inning appearances for the New York Mets last season).
It’s a hefty, prove-it deal for the Angels. They’re paying Syndergaard to be a difference-maker for their pitching staff, a level he performed at for the better part of his time with the Mets.
Here’s why the Angels’ playoff chances come down to Noah Syndergaard holding up his end of the bargain.
Noah Syndergaard’s excellence on the mound
Syndergaard has had his ups and downs. That said, more often than not he has been a force to be reckoned with on the rubber.
Traditionally a power pitcher, Syndergaard logs strikeouts at a high level, evades trouble and pitches deep into games. He found success with a consistent, four-pitch arsenal (sinker, four-seamer, changeup and slider) while mixing in a curveball and registering his fastball in the high 90s.
The 29-year-old has the pitch selection and effectiveness of an ace. It’s a matter of staying healthy, as Syndergaard is returning from a two-year absence due to an elbow injury.
- Noah Syndergaard stats (career): 3.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 777 strikeouts across 718.0 innings (121 appearances, 120 starts)
Starting pitching has been a chronic issue for the Angels. Shohei Ohtani has been brilliant, but injuries and a conservative approach with his workload somewhat limit the two-way star on the hill. Syndergaard has the skill set to be their clear-cut ace.
If he gets back on track, it gives the Angels their best hurler and arguably their first top-10 starting pitcher since Jered Weaver. It has been a while, considering Weaver last earned Cy Young votes in 2012.
Stabilizing an erratic Los Angeles Angels rotation
The Angels have seen flashes of high-level performance from starting pitchers, but never more than mere glimpses. Examples are endless. Dylan Bundy and Griffin Canning are the most recent examples. Bundy strung together a phenomenal 2020 campaign, followed up by a 6.06 ERA last season. Canning showed gradual improvement as a younger starter in 2020 then got tattooed last season (5.60 ERA, 2.01 HR/9).
Alex Cobb found success with Los Angeles in 2021 but signed with the San Francisco Giants this offseason. Once upon a time ago, Jaime Barria was an emerging force and is now a makeshift, backend starter. Andrew Heaney made strides early and then struggled mightily to keep runners off the basepaths.
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There’s reason to believe manager Joe Maddon’s rotation will be better next season. For starters, they have Syndergaard and the savvy Ohtani. A couple of bright spots of last season were Jose Suarez and Patrick Sandoval — before a season-ending back injury — who showed promise as consistent members of the team’s starting rotation. Maybe Reid Detmers picks up steam in 2022?
- Shohei Ohtani pitching stats (career): 3.53 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 222 strikeouts across 183.2 innings (35 starts)
Los Angeles needs a balance of its young starters progressing along with Syndergaard and Ohtani firing on all cylinders. If they get that combination, the Angels can alleviate some burden off their bullpen by providing length. By the way, that bullpen now includes Aaron Loup.
Even if that precise scenario doesn’t unfold, Syndergaard adds a 29-year-old starting pitcher with a track record. That in and of itself improves the Angels.
Noah Syndergaard is the key to a Los Angeles Angels’ playoff appearance
The Angels have a congested roadmap to the playoffs. That starts with their division, the American League West.
The Houston Astros are a perennial contender and loaded across the board, even if Carlos Correa doesn’t return. Up north, the Seattle Mariners won 90 games in 2021 with a young roster that is now welcoming Robbie Ray and Adam Frazier. The Texas Rangers are in the midst of a historic offseason, signing Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Jon Gray. While they may trade premier players like Matt Olson and Matt Chapman, the Oakland Athletics should at least be competitive in 2022.
In a best-case scenario, the Angels enter spring training as the third-best team in their division. Furthermore, the AL East has four sturdy, playoff-caliber teams, and it’s a safe bet that one team emerges as a Wild Card contender in the AL Central outside of the Chicago White Sox.
The Angels have no room for error. Yes, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon played a combined 94 games last season due to injury. Working under the realistic scenario that Ohtani, Trout and Rendon are healthy more than they were in 2021, the Angels need their blue-chip free agent signing to have a profound impact on their operation; their lineup should generate offense at a considerable clip and the bullpen is improved.
Noah Syndergaard pitching at an All-Star level gives the Angels a legitimate chance of making the playoffs. If he doesn’t, they’re toast — again.