NY Mets News: 3 ways to use Noah Syndergaard out of the bullpen

When Noah Syndergaard returns from the IL—if he returns from the IL—the New York Mets are expected to use him in a relief role. The reason for this: it’s a lot easier to go from Tommy John Surgery to pitching fewer innings than it is to jump right into working as a starting pitcher.

This is actually what Rising Apple’s Justin Sarchik had planned for him earlier this year when it looked like a tight fit to even get Thor into the rotation.

Somewhere, there’s a man in his 60s laughing at this because starting pitchers these days practically work the same way old relievers did. That’s neither here nor there.

It seems inevitable that Syndergaard will be used by the Mets in a lesser role once ready. The question I have is exactly how they plan to use him.

Will the Mets use Noah Syndergaard as a conventional reliever?

A conventional reliever works like this: every two or three days he steps out of the bullpen, onto the mound, and is asked to get around three outs, sometimes a few more.

I’m not sure this is actually the best way to use him because of the volume of days he’d be working.

I understand starting pitchers work more than we see them. They don’t just go into some cryogenic chamber whenever they’re not starting. They aren’t like my friend’s dad who, when we were both in kindergarten, already looked like he was 60. Two decades later, the man has aged maybe a year. Our running joke was also that his dad would be frozen during the times I didn’t see him which is why he was able to maintain his already elderly-youth.

Freezing starting pitchers is probably something we’ll talk about on Rising Apple around the year 2121. Science will suggest it’s best to have at least one cyborg in the rotation in case things go awry.

In 2021, asking Syndergaard to work as a conventional reliever may not be for the best. Fortunately, there are some other options.

Scheduled relief appearances might work best for Noah Syndergaard’s starting pitcher mind

I think a routine might be the most favorable strategy for Syndergaard. Starters are creatures of habit. Knowing well in advance which days he will pitch could get him in the right frame of mind.

That same 60-year-old who laughed at the beginning of this is probably chuckling again. Back in his day, you pitched until your arm turned into sawdust.

Let’s say the Mets schedule Syndergaard to step on the mound every three days or so and work up his strength to pitching three innings. This could pay off for them big if the team is able to crack a spot in the postseason. We all know the hook on starters is incredibly short when the playoffs arrive. A burp can cause a manager to panic and bring in a reliever.

With no sure bet he’ll be back next season, the Mets need to have Syndergaard prepared for a possible stretch run into the postseason. They don’t owe him it nor does he have to force himself to get hurt by coming back too soon or going too far before he’s ready. A chance at winning it all in 2021 along with his own desire to compete should have the two sides seeing somewhat eye-to-eye on the situation.

Scheduled relief appearances might seem a little taboo to traditionalists. If it’s what we need to get the most from him, why not try it twice?

Should Noah Syndergaard pitch in the beginning, middle, or end of games?

Finally, I want to know one more thing. What kinds of innings will Syndergaard pitch?

If it’s the beginning, possibly even as an opener-type reliever, not much changes from what we have seen in the past. He’s on a starting pitcher program and his workload is limited. I kind of like the idea of Syndergaard throwing two innings and then asking Rich Hill to clear out the next five. Those two have a different style and could do some nice trickery on the opponent. Of course, Hill needs to be able to thrive in a semi-relief role.

Syndergaard is probably bound to pitch middle innings especially if he’s able to go more than one frame. I’m not sure he’s worth pulling from the bullpen in a potential blowout. If a Mets starter gets rocked early, let’s save those very early frames for a guy who needs to get work experience.

Late innings from Syndergaard intrigue me. What if the Mets use him almost like a secondary closer? It has worked with Seth Lugo in the past. On days when Edwin Diaz is unavailable, Syndergaard might be the finest choice to go in the eighth and ninth.

A lot of this depends on how quickly Syndergaard is able to return to action and how his arm feels. Tommy John Surgery is never a given. His free agency after this year will also play a factor as he’ll want to cash in this winter and not push himself out of the league forever due to yet another major injury.

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The best choice of all is for Syndergaard to simply get back on the mound. The Mets are a different ball club with him on the active roster. The most recent man in franchise history to win a playoff game, it’ll be good to have him back.