3-second video clip of former NY Mets player isn't enough to make a baseless reunion

How can you not be romantic about baseball? Sometimes, the romance is built on blind nostalgia. Former New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard had a short 3-second video clip of him throwing in shorts that has some fans losing their minds about a potential reunion on a minor league contract.

Yeah, there’s no harm in signing anyone to a minor league deal. There should also be some sort of a purpose for it. Syndergaard hasn’t been all that good since 2018, just all right in 2019 for the Mets when he last had a full season with them. A huge drop in velocity in recent years, vacant strikeout totals, and an entire 2024 season without a pitch thrown professionally on his resume, it’s a reunion to steer clear of.

We can toss aside any of the personality traits from the conversation, too. He hasn’t been able to help himself at times in the past at making himself a target of dislike from fans. Brushing that all aside and Syndergaard, the player, just isn’t a good match for what the Mets are trying to build.

Mets fans love a reunion, this isn’t one to pursue

Already 32, the time for Syndergaard to reinvent himself has long passed. His longevity should have always been somewhat in question for as hard as he threw. A victim of an era where pitchers were praised for throwing harder rather than smarter, it would require an entire makeover for him to be worth a closer look. Results first before going down the tunnel of yesteryear, please.

Nothing about Syndergaard’s time since leaving the Mets suggests he’s an adjustment away from rediscovering what made him such a fantastic pitcher early on. There really wasn’t anyone quite like him. Fierceness unmatched even by Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom at times, we can’t ignore how far he fell since his prime years that unfortunately ended by the time he was 26. Furthermore, what does he gain by coming back to the Mets where they wouldn't roll out the red carpet for him? A team with no plans of contending makes far more sense.

The Mets have far better and more proven pitching candidates. He’d have zero chance of making the team out of camp. It would take a large number of injuries for them to have an opening and even then it’s more than likely going to end with an unceremonious designation for assignment.

Syndergaard has no connection to the front office so they won’t be feeling quite as wistful. David Stearns doesn’t know him from Alexander Skarsgard. Steve Cohen’s familiarity only comes from Syndergaard leaving for the Los Angeles Angels after turning down the qualifying offer after a year where he barely pitched.

We’ve come to appreciate Stearns for operating with his head over his heart. Reuniting with Syndergaard is purely a heart move with no credible case other than “why not?” followed by a shrug. It feels like it would be something we’d get from the Wilpon regime to sell some tickets. Maybe have him start on Tim Tebow bobblehead night in Syracuse. Leave the circus stunts in the past, please. Let Syndergaard prove himself in the major leagues somewhere else before those old and now incredibly outdated number 34 jerseys come back in style. Unless it says “Senga” on the back of it, let it stay in the attic boxed up.