Draft and minor leagues (2010–2014) The
Toronto Blue Jays of
Major League Baseball (MLB) selected Syndergaard in the first round, 38th overall, of the
2010 MLB draft. He chose to forego his commitment to Dallas Baptist, accepting the Blue Jays' $600,000
signing bonus and beginning his professional baseball career instead. Syndergaard spent the 2010 season with the
Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (GCL)
Blue Jays, with whom he went 0–1 with a 2.70 ERA in five starts, striking out six batters in innings. Syndergaard began the 2011 season with the
Bluefield Blue Jays of the
Appalachian League, Toronto's other Rookie-level team. After seven appearances, during which he went 4–0 with a 1.41 ERA and struck out 37 batters in 32 innings, In four starts for Vancouver, Syndergaard went 1–2 with a 2.00 ERA, and he received another promotion, this time to the
Low-A Lansing Lugnuts of the
Midwest League, at the end of August. He made only two appearances that season in Lansing, with no record and a 3.00 ERA, striking out nine batters in as many innings. This "piggyback system" proved effective in keeping all of Lansing's starting pitchers sharp: by May 25, the combined ERA for the Syndergaard-DeSclafani pair was 3.07, and the team had a 2.56 ERA and 23–13 record. Through the first half of the season, Lansing led the Midwest League with 47 wins and a 2.80 team ERA, while the trio of Syndergaard,
Justin Nicolino, and
Aaron Sanchez had a combined 11–2 record and 1.90 ERA. Playing in 27 games for Lansing, 19 of which were starts, Syndergaard went 8–5 for the season with a 2.60 ERA, and he struck out 122 batters in innings. Syndergaard joined the
Class A-Advanced St. Lucie Mets of the
Florida State League for the 2013 season, forming a
starting rotation with
Hansel Robles, Luis Mateo,
Domingo Tapia, and
Jacob deGrom. He went 2–3 with a 2.81 ERA in his first 11 starts for St. Lucie, striking out 59 in innings, and was one of three Mets selected for the Florida State League All-Star Game in June. He made one more start for St. Lucie, finishing 3–3 with a 3.11 ERA, before receiving a promotion to the
Double-A Binghamton Mets of the
Eastern League on June 23. Shortly after his promotion, Syndergaard was invited to the 2013
All-Star Futures Game, where he pitched a scoreless first inning. Syndergaard struggled in his first outing after the All-Star game, allowing three runs on seven hits against the
Richmond Flying Squirrels, but recovered quickly, and in 11 starts for Binghamton, he was 6–1 with a 3.00 ERA and struck out 69 batters in 54 innings. Syndergaard was promoted to the
Triple-A Las Vegas 51s for the 2014 season, winning his
Pacific Coast League debut by striking out five batters in six innings of an 11–8 victory over the
Fresno Grizzlies. His first stretch in Vegas was uneven, with a 4–2 record and 3.92 ERA through May 10, and he made a point to spend the season honing his
breaking balls to better handle more advanced batters. After experiencing two injuries in May and June, first a strained
pronator teres muscle followed by a sprained shoulder, Syndergaard received another invitation to the All-Star Futures Game. This time, he served as the
closer for the US team, earning a
save with a scoreless ninth inning to win the game 3–2. Syndergaard's season was overall a success, with a 9–7 record and 4.60 ERA in 26 starts and 133 innings.
New York Mets (2015–2021) 2015: World Series Appearance Syndergaard opened the 2015 season in Las Vegas again, battling food poisoning and a forearm strain that April to post a 3–0 record and 1.82 ERA in his first five starts, as well as 34 strikeouts in innings. When starting pitcher
Dillon Gee was placed on the
disabled list on May 8 with a strained groin, the Mets chose to call up Syndergaard over fellow top prospect
Steven Matz. He made his MLB debut on May 12, holding the
Chicago Cubs scoreless for five innings before allowing three
hits in a row in the sixth, including a two-run home run from
Chris Coghlan. He allowed a total of three runs on six hits in the 6–1 loss. Syndergaard's home debut at
Citi Field came five days later, and he took the win by pitching six innings in a 5–1 victory over the
Milwaukee Brewers. When Gee returned from the disabled list on May 22, Mets manager
Terry Collins decided not to move Syndergaard, instead saying that he would keep a six-man starting rotation that made room for both pitchers. This plan was short-lived, and Gee was
designated for assignment on June 15, cementing Syndergaard's position in the rotation. While facing the
Philadelphia Phillies on May 27, Syndergaard not only struck out six batters in innings, but he went 3-for-3 in
at bats, one of which was his first major league
home run. In doing so, Syndergaard joined
Walt Terrell,
Dwight Gooden, and
Sid Fernandez as the only Mets pitchers to record three
hits, including one home run, in a single game. On July 10, he recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts in eight innings, striking out every member of the
Arizona Diamondbacks' starting lineup at least once in the 4–2 win. It was the third time through 11 major league starts that he had reached double-digit strikeouts. He and teammate
Lucas Duda were named
National League (NL) Co-Players of the Week for the week ending August 3. While Duda recorded seven home runs, Syndergaard struck out an MLB-leading 18 batters in 16 innings of work, bringing his career strikeout total to 100 in only 15 starts. Syndergaard made 24 regular-season starts as a rookie, posting a 9–7 record and 3.24 ERA in the process while striking out 166 batters in 150 innings of work. He finished fourth in voting for NL
Rookie of the Year, behind
Jung Ho Kang, runner-up
Matt Duffy, and winner
Kris Bryant. On September 26, after defeating the
Cincinnati Reds 10–2 at the
Great American Ball Park, the Mets clinched their first
NL East title and postseason appearance in nine years. They faced the
Los Angeles Dodgers in the
2015 National League Division Series (NLDS), with Syndergaard starting in Game 2. He went innings, allowing three runs while striking out nine, and the Dodgers took the game by a score of 5–2. Syndergaard made his first career appearance
in relief for Game 5 of the NLDS, pitching a scoreless seventh inning in the 3–2 victory, helping to eliminate the Dodgers and send the Mets to the
2015 National League Championship Series (NLCS). Syndergaard started the second game of that series as well, outdueling
Jake Arrieta of the
Chicago Cubs by striking out nine batters in innings of New York's 4–1 victory. The Mets swept the Cubs in the best-of-seven series, earning their first National League pennant and
World Series appearance since 2000. With the Mets down 2–0 in the
2015 World Series against the
Kansas City Royals, Syndergaard started Game 3, where he intentionally threw the game's first pitch
high and tight to Kansas City shortstop
Alcides Escobar. He went on to give the Mets their first win of the series, allowing three runs on seven hits but striking out six and leading New York to a 9–3 victory. It was the only game the Mets would win, as the Royals took the World Series in five games.
2016: All-Star Syndergaard's first start of the 2016 season came against the Royals, and despite rumors that Kansas City would attempt retribution for the intentional pitch at Escobar, the game transpired without controversy, with Syndergaard striking out nine batters in six scoreless innings of the 2–0 win. Through his first three starts of the season, Syndergaard was 2–0 with a 0.90 ERA and 29 strikeouts, and received Internet attention when a pitch he threw to batterymate
Kevin Plawecki had enough momentum to leave an imprint of Plawecki's necklace on his chest. While facing the Dodgers on May 11, Syndergaard hit a pair of home runs against Los Angeles starter
Kenta Maeda, becoming the first MLB pitcher since
Micah Owings in 2007, and the second pitcher in Mets history following
Walt Terrell in 1983, to hit two home runs in the same game. The Mets won the game 4–3 and Syndergaard was expected to complete the game, but concerns about his elbow health limited him to eight innings and 95 pitches. He was named the NL Player of the Week for the second time in his career on May 23 after striking out 21 batters and allowing no earned runs in 14 innings of work. The following week, Syndergaard was ejected from a Mets–Dodgers game after throwing a pitch behind the back of
Chase Utley in a move that was believed to be retribution for a play during the NLDS that had fractured
Ruben Tejada's leg. Syndergaard denied the allegation, saying that he had simply lost control of the ball. weekend festivities in 2016 After struggling in a game against the
Washington Nationals on June 27, lasting only three innings and squandering a 4–0 lead in the process, Syndergaard revealed that both he and Steven Matz were experiencing
bone spurs in their respective pitching elbows, while confirming that it was being treated with anti-inflammatory medication and was often painless. On July 5, Syndergaard was named to the NL roster for the
2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, but he could not participate in the game due to arm fatigue. Syndergaard had a difficult stretch after the All-Star break, going winless in seven starts between July 3 and August 17 before pitching innings in a 7–5 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks, during which he recorded another home run of his own. He joined
Tom Seaver and Walt Terrell as the only Mets' pitchers to hit three home runs in a single MLB season. On September 14, he recorded his 200th strikeout of the season by retiring
Danny Espinosa of Nationals. In doing so, the 24-year-old Syndergaard became the fifth Mets pitcher to strike out 200 or more batters before the age of 25. With Matz,
Matt Harvey, and
Jacob deGrom injured, Syndergaard was selected to start for the Mets in the
2016 National League Wild Card Game against the
San Francisco Giants. The game proved to be a
pitchers' duel against the Giants'
Madison Bumgarner, with Syndergaard carrying a
no-hitter into the sixth inning, but Mets closer
Jeurys Familia allowed the only runs of the game when he gave up a three-run home run to
Conor Gillaspie in the ninth inning, eliminating the Mets from the postseason. Syndergaard finished the season with a 14–9 record and a 2.60 ERA in 30 starts, and he struck out 218 batters in innings. Additionally, his 2.29
fielding independent pitching and 0.5
home runs per nine innings (HR/9) were the lowest among qualifying MLB pitchers.
2017–2019: Injury-limited seasons 2017 Having spent spring training focusing on honing his
two-seam fastball, Syndergaard was selected as the Mets'
Opening Day starting pitcher for the
2017 MLB season. He took a
no decision in the subsequent 6–0 victory over the
Atlanta Braves, pitching six scoreless innings before a
blood blister popped in his finger, leading to his removal from the game. On May 1, the Mets announced that Syndergaard, who had already suffered a
hamstring injury and biceps discomfort in the first three weeks of the season, had partially torn his right
latissimus dorsi muscle and was expected to miss at least the next two months of the season. Syndergaard had previously declined to undergo medical imaging for his sore arm, instead taking the mound for his scheduled April 30 start, a 23–5 loss to the
Washington Nationals during which he tore the torso muscle. This injury, coupled with a number of other high-profile injuries to Mets stars like
Michael Conforto,
Zack Wheeler, and
Yoenis Céspedes, raised concerns from sports analysts about the team's rigorous training regimen and resistance towards placing players on the disabled list. After missing five months of the season, Syndergaard was activated on September 22 to pitch one live, major league inning as part of his rehabilitation process. General manager
Sandy Alderson told reporters that Syndergaard's physical rehabilitation was progressing well, and that having the pitcher "back on the mound if only for a moment relatively before the season ends" would help him mentally readjust to major league play. He needed only five pitches to get through the inning, although the Mets lost to the Nationals 4–3 in extra innings. Four of those pitches registered at or above . After the game, Syndergaard told reporters that he felt it was important to pitch in a game again before the end of the season after spending so much time and energy on his rehabilitation, because, "[o]therwise, what was I really doing?" He received one more start that season, holding the
Philadelphia Phillies scoreless for two innings and 26 pitches and reaching pitch speeds up to . After he left, however, the Mets lost the game 11–0 in a Phillies rout. Making only seven appearances in his injury-shortened season, Syndergaard finished the year 1–2 with a 2.97 ERA and struck out 34 batters in innings. Pitching in six innings of the Mets' 9–4 victory over the
St. Louis Cardinals, he became the second pitcher in franchise history to strike out 10 or more batters on Opening Day, following
Pedro Martínez's rout of the
Cincinnati Reds in 2005. He was 4–1 with a 3.06 ERA and 76 strikeouts in his first 11 starts before going on the disabled list on May 29 with a strained ligament in his right index finger. He returned to the mound on July 13 on a strict pitch count, allowing only one run in five innings of a 4–2 win against the
Washington Nationals. His fastball speed reached up to , and he recorded an RBI single in the second inning. One week later, Syndergaard was briefly sidelined again after contracting
hand, foot, and mouth disease from volunteering at a children's camp during the All-Star break. He was activated on August 1, the same day
New York Yankees pitcher
J. A. Happ also contracted the virus. On September 2, Syndergaard pitched his first major league
complete game, striking out 11 and holding the
San Francisco Giants to two hits in a 4–1 victory. After battling a
sinus infection in the last week of September, Syndergaard closed the Mets' 2018 season with his first career
complete game shutout, a 1–0 victory over the
Miami Marlins. He made 25 starts that season, during which he went 13–4 with a 3.03 ERA and struck out 155 batters in innings. The first month of the season proved difficult for the Mets' entire starting rotation, with a combined 5.35 ERA among Syndergaard, deGrom, Wheeler, Matz, and
Jason Vargas. Syndergaard personally had an ERA of 6.35 through his first six starts. His luck changed on May 2, when Syndergaard provided the only run in a 1–0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. He became the seventh pitcher in MLB history to throw a 1–0 shutout while providing his own home run, and was the first since
Bob Welch in 1983. The performance earned Syndergaard NL Player of the Week honors for the week ending May 5, and his ERA dropped to only 5.02 after the shutout. He earned the honor again for the week ending August 4 after two standout performances: after striking out 11
Chicago White Sox in innings on July 30, he held the
Pittsburgh Pirates to one run on August 4, which dropped his ERA below 4.00 for the first time that season. Syndergaard spent the back half of June on the injured list (renamed from the disabled list that season) with a hamstring injury, but returned at the end of the month for a no decision in a game against the
Atlanta Braves. Throughout the season, Syndergaard consistently performed better when pitching to backup catchers
Tomas Nido and
Rene Rivera rather than starter
Wilson Ramos: his ERA was 2.22 in a combined 11 starts with Nido and Rivera, compared to 5.09 in 15 starts with Ramos. In the final stretch of the season, manager
Mickey Callaway denied Syndergaard's requests not to pitch to Ramos, who was enjoying an offensive hot streak that the Mets front office believed offset his uneasy relationship with Syndergaard. Syndergard started in 32 games for the Mets in 2019, but posted a 10–8 record and a career-high 4.28 in the process. He also struck out 202 batters in innings and led the NL by allowing 94
earned runs. Although the terms of the pandemic-altered 2020 season had not been finalized by the time Syndergaard underwent surgery at the end of March, the earliest that he was expected to return to the Mets was in mid-2021. Syndergaard's decision to undergo an elbow repair surgery during a time when many doctors were canceling elective surgeries and conserving hospital resources for the pandemic was met with some controversy, and the hospital performing the surgery released a statement attesting that they had deemed Syndergaard's procedure to be essential. Syndergaard's teammate
Pete Alonso similarly justified the decision, saying, "No athlete wants to go through a serious surgery and grueling recovery process. This surgery is done when it is absolutely necessary for their arm."
2021 While still recovering from surgery, Syndergaard signed a one-year, $9.7 million contract with the Mets on December 22, 2020, the same amount that he would have made had the 2020 season progressed as normal. He began throwing
bullpen sessions again in February 2021, and was assigned to the St. Lucie Mets on May 17 to ease back into live competition. On May 27, however, Syndergaard experienced a sudden drop in pitch velocity and elbow discomfort during his minor league outing, and he was shut down for a minimum of six weeks. Exactly three months later, Syndergaard was activated again, pitching one inning for the
Brooklyn Cyclones. Nearly two years after his last appearance for the Mets, Syndergaard returned to the major leagues on September 29, pitching a scoreless inning and striking out two batters in a 2–1 defeat of the Marlins. His fastball was recorded at velocities up to , significantly faster than it had been in his rehab outings. He made one more appearance that season, pitching one inning in the Mets' season finale against the Atlanta Braves. He allowed two runs in the outing, a home run to
leadoff hitter Jorge Soler followed by an
RBI single to
Austin Riley, and the Braves shut out the Mets 5–0.
Los Angeles Angels (2022) Although the Mets tendered Syndergaard a
qualifying offer for the 2022 MLB season, on November 17, 2021, he signed a one-year, $21 million contract with the
Los Angeles Angels, breaking
Jered Weaver and
C. J. Wilson's record for the highest per-season earnings of any pitcher in franchise history. Syndergaard became the first Angels player since the late
Nick Adenhart to wear No. 34, receiving the approval of the Adenhart family. In his Angels debut on April 9, 2022, Syndergaard pitched innings while giving up two hits and two walks, contributing to a shutout of the
Houston Astros. He induced 11 groundball outs and struck out only one, the lowest amount of strikeouts in a multi-inning start in his career.
Philadelphia Phillies (2022) On August 2, 2022, the Angels traded Syndergaard to the
Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for
Mickey Moniak and prospect Jadiel Sanchez. In 2022 between both teams, he was 10–10 with one complete game and a 3.94 ERA in 134 innings over 25 games (24 starts).
Los Angeles Dodgers (2023) On December 16, 2022, the
Los Angeles Dodgers signed Syndergaard to a one-year deal for $13 million. He made 12 starts with the Dodgers, with a 1–4 record and 7.16 ERA in innings. He was placed on the injured list on June 8 as a result of recurring blisters on his pitching hand.
Cleveland Guardians (2023) On July 26, 2023, the Dodgers traded Syndergaard and cash considerations to the
Cleveland Guardians in exchange for shortstop
Amed Rosario. In five starts for Cleveland, he posted a 4.94 ERA with 15 strikeouts in innings pitched. On August 27, Syndergaard was
designated for assignment by the Guardians. He was released by Cleveland on August 31.
Chicago White Sox (2025) On June 24, 2025, after nearly two years of inactivity, Syndergaard signed a minor league contract with the
Chicago White Sox. He made his first appearance with the Triple-A
Charlotte Knights on July 23, allowing five earned runs in four innings. In six starts split between Charlotte and the rookie-level
Arizona Complex League White Sox, Syndergaard accumulated a 1-1 record and 5.40 ERA with 14 strikeouts across innings pitched. Syndergaard was released by the White Sox organization on August 2. == Pitching style ==