New York Mets to put Noah Syndergaard in bullpen

The New York Mets are in desperate need of help in the starting rotation. Jacob deGrom is on the Injured List, Taijuan Walker has been unable to recapture his first half magic, and the back of the rotation has struggled. The Mets could not get Noah Syndergaard back soon enough.

Syndergaard, in theory, was the Mets’ cavalry. Instead, if he eventually returns to the majors, it will be as a reliever.

Syndergaard had been attempting to work his way back from Tommy John surgery, but had kept running into setbacks. Now, as the calendar has turned to August, there will not be enough time for him to build up to a starter’s workload before the end of the season.

Slotting Syndergaard into the bullpen could work well. His high octane fastball would be an asset as a reliever, and it would not be a surprise to see Syndergaard emerge in a high leverage role in the final few weeks. Of course, that is provided that he is able to return.

When he has been on the mound, Syndergaard has been a consistently excellent pitcher. He has posted a 3.31 ERA and a 1.161 WHiP in his 716 major league innings, striking out 775 batters with just 263 walks. The Mets could certainly use that type of production, regardless of role.

It would also behoove Syndergaard to return as well. He is slated to become a free agent after this season, and needs to show something before hitting the market. If he is unable to return this year, his injury history, coupled with having missed the past two years, could lead to a slower market than he would have expected.

If Noah Syndergaard does return to the New York Mets, it will be as a reliever. They could certainly use his high octane arm regardless of the role.