St. Louis Cardinals rumors: Oli Marmol's seat heats up, rotation fit, trade chip pays off
By Mark Powell
St. Louis Cardinals Rumors: Could Noah Syndergaard be a fit?
Noah Syndergaard's fall from grace has been a brutal one. Thor, formerly among the best young pitchers in a New York Mets organization which featured Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and more, underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 and hasn't been the same since.
Syndergaard pitched fairly well in 2022 with the Angels and Phillies, securing a spot on Philadelphia's NL champion roster. Syndergaard has a 3.94 ERA and signed with the Dodgers this offseason on a one-year prove it deal. Unfortunately, that did not work to Thor's favor, as he had an ERA over seven and was shipped to Cleveland at the trade deadline as part of the Amed Rosario deal.
The Guardians designated Syndergaard for assignment over the weekend. Assuming he goes unclaimed, Syndergaard will be able to sign with any team in need of rotation help. As Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors points out, expect several teams to be in on Syndergaard for his name recognition alone.
"As for Syndergaard, assuming he goes unclaimed on waivers he’ll have the opportunity to return to the free agent market and look to catch on with another team. Brutal as his results have been this year, teams are always on the lookout for potential depth options, particularly on a no-risk minor league deal like the one Syndergaard would presumably command. To be eligible to participate in the postseason with his new club, Syndergaard will have to sign before September 1," Deeds wrote.
An organization like the Cardinals would be wise to see what Syndergaard has left in the tank. On a one-year flyer (perhaps with a team option, since Syndergaard is desperate), Syndergaard could join a Cards rotation which lacks depth right away. If he pitches well, who knows? St. Louis only has two key rotation contributors under contract for next season.