The New York Mets do not currently have any apparent plans to trade Noah Syndergaard. However, that hasn’t stopped several MLB teams from making inquiries about the right-handed pitcher, as a new report suggested on Wednesday.
Citing unnamed sources familiar with the purported inquiries, MLB.com ‘s Jon Paul Morosi wrote that there have been “multiple teams,” including the San Diego Padres, that have expressed interest in trading for Syndergaard, and were previously linked to the 26-year-old starter during the last offseason. As further noted, the Padres’ farm system features several “high-end” pitching prospects who could be used as trade fodder as they try to upgrade their pitching rotation with a veteran starter before the July 31 trade deadline.
In addition to the Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers have made recent inquiries about Syndergaard, and are also reportedly interested in his fellow Mets starter Zack Wheeler. The Astros were likewise mentioned as a team “intrigued” by the chance to acquire Syndergaard from the Mets, as the team might need a replacement for Gerrit Cole in the event he leaves via free agency after the 2019 season.
According to MLB.com’s Morosi, the Mets may be more likely to trade Wheeler before the deadline due to the fact he is on an expiring contract. Syndergaard, on the other hand, was described as a “less obvious trade candidate,” as he would only become eligible for free agency when the 2021 MLB season wraps up. Per the terms of his contract, Syndergaard is earning $6 million for the Mets this season, and is expected to get a raise next year once he becomes eligible for arbitration for the first time in his MLB career.
The Brewers are reportedly among the teams interested in Noah Syndergaard, although it will take “a high price” for the Mets to move him https://t.co/HC9kM7XLdZ pic.twitter.com/sT4204QvVC
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 10, 2019
While Morosi did not mention any hypothetical or rumored trade scenarios in his report, he speculated that it might be “difficult” for Syndergaard’s suitors to offer a satisfactory trade package to the Mets, considering that he compiled an impressive 2.93 ERA over his first four years in the majors. These teams, however, could reportedly leverage his current stats to get a better deal, as the pitcher nicknamed “Thor” has registered a career-worst 4.68 ERA in 17 starts this season, as shown on his Baseball-Reference player page.
It isn’t just Noah Syndergaard who is finding himself in the middle of a tough season, as the Mets are currently fourth place in the National League East Division with a 40-50 record — the second-worst in the entire NL. Per CBS Sports , this puts the team 13.5 games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves, and seven games removed from a chance at an NL Wild Card spot.