MLB

Noah Syndergaard back at Citi Field with ‘no regrets’ after leaving Mets

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Social Links for Zach Braziller
Published Aug. 12, 2022
Updated Aug. 13, 2022, 1:42 a.m. ET

Noah Syndergaard isn’t thinking about what could have been. He isn’t looking back at his decision to leave the Mets, and the dream season he has missed out on. 

“I have no regrets,” the Phillies’ right-hander said on Friday, before his team beat the Mets 2-1 in 10 innings in his first trip back to Citi Field as an opposing player. “It’s brought me to where I am now. Crazy journey.” 

The 29-year-old Syndergaard shed some light on his decision last November, to reject the qualifying offer the Mets had extended and sign a one-year, $21 million deal with the Angels. Too much had happened in Queens, too much hype followed by too many injuries. For him to restart his career, he felt he had to move on. 

“That energy that can make New York so great and positive can also bite you in the butt a little bit, especially with what I’m going through right now, a dip in velocity. I’m still trying to rely on location, mixing things up. I felt like if I was doing that playing here, everything would just be highlighted,” said Syndergaard, who has gone 6-8 with a 3.96 ERA in 17 starts this season for the Angels and Phillies, who acquired him on Aug. 2. “That was kind of a big fear of mine. That was a reason I went to the west coast. Kind of get my bearings underneath me and get back to feeling good about myself.” 

Noah Syndergaard was traded from the Angels to the Phillies just before the Aug. 2 deadline.
Noah Syndergaard was traded from the Angels to the Phillies just before the Aug. 2 deadline. Getty Images

The Mets showed video of Syndergaard on the big screen prior to first pitch and he received a mixture of cheers and boos. He was part of two playoff teams for the Mets, in 2015 and 2016, and started their lone victory in the 2015 World Series loss to the Royals. 

At the time he left New York, Syndergaard said the Mets were too much in flux, and he didn’t want to gamble on the “uncertainty” surrounding the franchise. The Mets had just settled on new general manager Billy Eppler, who subsequently made a number of major additions — from Max Scherzer and Adam Ottavino to Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar and Mark Canha — that have led to their best record through 100 games since 1986. 

“It’s been great witnessing their success from a distance,” Syndergaard said. “I’m still rooting for those guys from the other side. … It’s been a whirlwind of emotions, but I think this move is going to be good for me.” 

Noah Syndergaard said of his time in New York and its energy that it can be "positive" but that it "can also bite you in the butt a little bit."
Noah Syndergaard said of his time in New York and its energy that it can be “positive” but that it “can also bite you in the butt a little bit.” Getty Images

Meanwhile, the Angels became a mess after a strong start, and he was eventually traded. But Syndergaard doesn’t regret going out West, even if he is back in the Northeast again. He has been reunited with former Mets teammate Zack Wheeler on the Phillies’ staff and has a chance to return to the postseason for the first time since 2016. 

“It’s awesome seeing the guys and the staff on the other side. It’s going to be an exciting series,” Syndergaard said. “I’m glad to be on a team that’s got hopes and a shot at playing in a World Series.”