Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Reveals Official Plan for Noah Syndergaard Moving Forward
Although the Dodgers begin their third full month of the season tied for first in the National League West, things haven't gone 100 percent smoothly.
One of those issues has been with veteran starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard, whom the Dodgers signed to a one-year, $13 million contract this past offseason.
While there was hope that pitching coach Mark Prior could help Thor rediscover the form that made him a dominant force during his time with the New York Mets earlier in his career, things haven't gone according to plan for the hurler.
He's 1-4 with a 6.54 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 11 starts in 2023 and things came to a head in his last start against the Nationals.
In that outing, Syndergaard went five innings, giving up five earned runs, seven hits, and a season high three home runs as the Dodgers fell 10-6 to the Nats.
Ultimately, that led to a frustrated Syndergaard saying this postgame:
As for what the Dodgers would do going forward, it seemed as if everything from moving Syndergaard to the bullpen to designating the eight-year veteran for assignment was a possibility, and manager Dave Roberts was noncommittal as to what the course of action would be after the loss.
Now there's some clarity on the situation, as Roberts confirmed he would be starting his next chance, Wednesday against the Reds.
"Noah’s gonna start on Wednesday," Roberts said ahead of Friday's game. "We want him to start on Wednesday against the Reds and when he makes that start I’m gonna feel the same way I do every time he takes the mound that he’s gonna pitch well and it’s gonna turn."
So at least for the short term, the Dodgers will continue to call upon Syndergaard and after pondering other avenues for the rotation, the 30-year-old will be starting every fifth day according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times:
It remains to be seen how Syndergaard will respond to this chance, but next Wednesday could be a key start for him as he tries to re-establish a firm spot in the rotation.
