Noah Syndergaard, the Mets’ hard-throwing ace during the season and professional social media comedian in the offseason, was joking — but within the context of the jest was a telling evaluation of the team’s former ace.
Syndergaard, never one to withhold his — sometimes controversial — opinions online, started an argument with MLB Network on Monday afternoon after it revealed a few lists of the “Top 10 Starting Pitchers.” The site’s research-team algorithm ranked the 24-year-old righty ninth, right behind the Red Sox’s Chris Sale and the Giants’ Johnny Cueto.
After Syndergaard called out the network for the rankings, he quickly responded to a request for his version of the “Top 10.” Of course, he limited his list to the Mets’ pitching staff (with one exception), beginning with “Yours Truly.”
It’s a throw-away joke, but Syndergaard’s choice for No. 3 certainly raises some eyebrows.
The Mets practically anointed Harvey their No. 1 starter during his breakout sophomore season in 2013, when he posted a 2.27 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 26 games and was memorably named the starting pitcher for the All-Star Game at Citi Field.
Harvey, who fully leaned into being the unquestioned ace, fashioning himself a no-nonsense bulldog on the mound, then missed all of 2014 following Tommy John surgery. He returned with a vengeance in 2015 to a staff suddenly teeming with stars, helping lead the Mets to the World Series for the first time since 2000. Even in the World Series, his alpha-dog nature kicked in, begging Terry Collins to let him pitch a ninth inning of Game 5 — which he blew, as the Mets let a 2-0 lead slip away, giving the Royals the title.
Harvey’s 2016 was a disappointing one, looking like a confused shell of himself before undergoing surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in July — as Syndergaard ran away with the “ace” title.
Now Harvey, who said in December he “feels great” and is “right where I want to be” in his rehab, tries to return to a rotation he once owned — as its new owner slots him No. 3.
