Mets’ Syndergaard Could (and Should) Help Reshape the Roster

Noah Syndergaard, the reigning Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week, has had an incredible season to date. He is now being rewarded with his long awaited Major League debut this coming Tuesday in place of Dillon Gee, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Thor, as Syndergaard is called by his teammates, has long been impressive with his talent, but somewhat a work in progress with his maturity. This season he seems to have turned a corner and is really putting it together this year for a Las Vegas 51s team that is playing very well. He followed up his PCL Pitcher of the Week performance (which you can read about his unbelievable week right here) with yet another strong outing in which he hurled 8 innings of one run ball, striking out 8 and walking none over 8 innings. He also happened to miss a cycle by a triple at the plate. Syndergaard is simply doing it all right now. 

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Syndergaard, the Mets’ No. 1 overall prospect, sits at 3-0 over his five starts with a 1.82 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP and a 34 to 8 strikeout to walk ratio over his first 29.2 innings pitched in Las Vegas this season. Although it won’t be, it should be the last time Syndergaard sees the PCL. Grading on the Curve’s No. 10 overall prospect in baseball is ready for the big leagues.

The exciting aspect of Syndergaard’s MLB debut Tuesday is that it will come against the much ballyhooed Chicago Cubs’ lineup. Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and Jorge Soler have led the rebirth in Wrigley this season, making a name for themselves as top prospects who are proving their worth. Syndergaard can take a big step forward should he shut down the Cubs. He is expected to be facing off against Jake Arrieta, who is a solid pitcher himself. Should Syndergaard walk away victorious, it should be all he needs to cement himself a slot in the Mets’ rotation.

But it won’t. This is most likely a spot start for Syndergaard who will return to Las Vegas when Gee comes off the DL. What this start should do for the Mets’ is make both Jon Niese and Dillon Gee expendable. Both are experienced and quality Major League arms and there are a ton of rotations in dire need of help right now. The Mets, despite sitting at 19-11 and three and a half games atop the National League East, have their own holes, and Niese or Gee can be the bait to fill them.

Shortstop could use some beefing up. Wilmer Flores has played admirably, but may be  better in a platoon. The Houston Astros are surging and seemingly want to call up Carlos Correa. They could use a veteran presence in their rotation, so why not make a move for a Marwin Gonzalez type of player? Gonzalez is utility infielder, who hit safely in five of his first six games when inserted into the lineup for the injured Jed Lowrie. 

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The downside to someone like Gonzalez is that the Mets would pick him up heading into his first years of arbitration, but he should be a relatively cheap option who can play in the big leagues. At only 26, he is a solid option, and could also be packaged with one of the many Astros’ draft picks heading into the draft.

The Mets are thriving based on their farm system. Syndergaard already joins Kevin Plawecki, Wilmer Flores, Dilson Herrera, Matt Harvey, and Jacob deGrom amongst others who are making an immediate impact in Queens. There is simply no reason Syndergaard shouldn’t be a part of this Mets renaissance.

Heading into next season, the Mets will need to move a few pieces around. Steven Matz’s MLB debut is imminent, and Zack Wheeler will hopefully return healthy and be ready to step into the rotation. That sets up a rotation that looks like Harvey, de Grom, Syndergaard, Wheeler and Matz, and could have some room for the ageless Bartolo Colon should they choose to re-sign him. It makes little sense to sit on Gee and Niese much longer. The Mets have their future rotation set, and Syndergaard’s coming debut allows them to get aggressive and begin to fill holes now for a playoff run.