Noah Syndergaard's "Life is Really Good" As He Returns to Queens For First Time
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NEW YORK - Noah Syndergaard first won the hearts of Mets fans after throwing high and tight to Alcides Escobar during the 2015 World Series.
"If the Royals have a problem with me throwing inside, they can meet me 60 feet, six inches away," Syndergaard said afterwards about the pitch.
From blasting home runs at the plate, to anchoring a 2016 Mets rotation that saw them clinch a wild card berth, to several 4+ WAR seasons, Syndergaard's career in Queens was overall a successful one.
After leaving in free agency this past winter, Syndergaard made his return to Citi Field as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday.
The right-hander said that he's feeling healthy and is in a good place, after missing most of the last two years after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Syndergaard returned at the end of last season and appeared in just two games. Slated to hit free agency going into 2022, he expressed optimism that he would return to Queens.
"I'm fairly confident that we will reach an agreement and I'll be pitching here next year," Syndergaard said in September. "New York has a special place in my heart."
That wasn't the case.
Syndergaard rejected the Mets' $18.4 million qualifying offer and signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels for $21 million.
On Friday, Syndergaard said that he felt needed to exit the spotlight in order to continue building himself back up.
"Part of the reason I made the move to the Angels, I suppose, is because the energy that makes New York so great and positive can bite you in the butt a little bit," Syndergaard said. "Especially with what I’m going through right now, a little dip in velocity and still looking to focus on location and mixing things up.
"I feel like if I was doing that playing here, everything would be highlighted. That was a big fear of mine. That was one of the reasons I went over to the West Coast, so I could get my bearings underneath me and get back to feeling like my old self."
In 15 starts with the Angels before he was traded to the Phillies at the trade deadline, Syndergaard went 5-8 with a 3.83 ERA, 3.96 FIP, 4.28 xFIP and was worth 1.2 fWAR.
The right-hander reiterated that getting out of the bright lights of New York was a key factor in being able to regain his old form.
“You walk into the Angels clubhouse, and there’s only like three reporters there, and most of them are Japanese and don’t speak a lot of English," Syndergaard joked, likely making a reference to the hype surrounding his former teammate, Shohei Ohtani. "Everything is just heightened. Pretty cutthroat playing in New York. I feel like I did a pretty good job the last three years. It’s just a lot when you are trying to get back from injury."
The Mets showed a tribute video to Syndergaard on the big screen in center field prior to first pitch Friday.
Prior to the game, the 30-year-old was asked what he thought the reception to his return would be.
“I’m not actually sure, what do you think?" Syndergaard said. "When I was in Anaheim, I got to experience The 7 Line on the other side, and that was quite the 'boo.' I take pleasure in that, just because there was some emotional attachment from both sides. I hope it’s a positive reception, but we’ll find out.
The answer? It was a mix of both cheers and boos.
The Mets will miss Syndergaard this series, but could face him next weekend in Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park.
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