Noah Syndergaard's Trade to Phillies: How Thor's Acquisition Sparked a Historic turnaround for the Fighting Phils

In the weeks building up to the 2022 trade deadline, it was widely known that Noah Syndergaard was likely to be traded by the Los Angeles Angels. The big surprise came when it was announced that he was acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies, who were not contenders in their division at the time of the deal. While their record was 55-48, they were well behind the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.

"The Phillies acquired both Noah Syndergaard and Brandon Marsh from the Angels prior to the August trade deadline.They've made an enormous impact in Game Four of the NLDS." - Alex Carr

While he is no longer the ace-calibre pitcher he was in prior years, Syndergaard has been a reliable arm for the Phillies since his acquisition. In the ten games he started for the Phillies after the deal, Thor managed a record of 5-2 with a 4.12 ERA. He also recorded 31 strikeouts with a 1.32 WHIP.

Although Noah Syndergaard has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, he is still able to provide the Phillies with a veteran arm. He has provided the bullpen with depth or start when needed, as he will for Game 3 of the World Series.

"Noah Syndergaard takes shot at Mets, Max Scherzer before World Series start." - FAX Sports: MLB

In a small two-game sample size against the Astros this season, Thor owns a 1-0 record. Over the course of 9.1 innings pitched against the Astros, Noah finished with a 2.89 ERA along with 4 strikeouts, while only allowing 5 hits.

Noah Syndergaard's journey back from Tommy John Surgery

Tommy John Surgery has usually marked the end of a pitcher's career, but now with the evolution of the surgery, pitchers are able to make a full recovery. While the surgery has improved, the time frame for recovery ranges from 18-months to 2 years.

For Syndergaard, from the end of the 2019 regular season until the start of the 2022 season, he only pitched two innings. While he has not performed at the level he did when he was younger, the fact that he will pitch in the World Series is a testament to the surgery and Syndergaard's determination to recover.

"This is Noah Syndergaard first game back after missing 2 years due to injury." - Soto

Syndergaard will face off against Houston's Lance McCullers, who also recovered from Tommy John Surgery to make it to this point in his career.