Noah Syndergaard wants to remind people hes still alive as hes taunted by MLB comeback dream

For years, Noah Syndergaard and reporter Leo Sepkowitz could not link up for an interview.Typical Mets craziness.Syndergaard undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The forgettable post-New York years that — for now — put a bow on a career that began with such promise.This April, the stars finally aligned when Syndergaard OK’d an interview.“To remind people I’m still alive, I guess,” the pitcher once known as “Thor” told GQ.That melancholy statement offered a glimpse into how life has changed for Syndergaard since his prime years as one of the Mets’ aces, including during the special run to the 2015 World Series.Syndergaard last fired a pitch on Aug.27, 2023, with the Guardians, surrendering five runs in six innings.

He was two days shy of his 31st birthday.He’s now 33, an age where plenty of pitchers can still perform like aces.The saying goes that the hitters let you know when your career is over, and opposing batters tattooed him to the tune of a 6.50 ERA across 88 ⅔ innings in that 2023 season.Yet Syndergaard hasn’t given up on his dream.He lives near ex-Met teammate Jacob deGrom, who is still pitching at a strong level at the age of 38, and that provides some inspiration.“That gives me hope,” Syndergaard told GQ.“I still have intentions probably.

Maybe it’s just delusion.”He added: “The carrot’s not necessarily money.The carrot is like, I want my identity back.”While a Syndergaard return wouldn’t be unprecedented, his last four years in the big leagues did not inspire confidence.His career took a turn for the worse when he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020, and he posted a 3.94 ERA for the Phillies and Angels in his first full season back in 2022.A ghastly 7.16 ERA with the Dodgers in 2023 led to him lasting just 12 starts with a team known for extracting value and production from players.Even the Guardians, one of MLB’s best pitching organizations, could not fix him.Syndergaard noted that plenty of individuals attempte...