Dodgers Trade Noah Syndergaard to Guardians

By Nathan Leko

Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

July 27, 2023

On Wednesday, the Cleveland Guardians and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a trade that sent starting pitcher, Noah Syndergaard to Cleveland. In exchange, the Dodgers received shortstop, Amed Rosario. Syndergaard, 30, will join the Guardians in Chicago to take on the White Sox for the start of a four-game series. According to Chris Antonetti, Cleveland’s president of baseball operations, it is unknown when Syndergaard will make his first appearance for the team. This past offseason, Syndergaard signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Dodgers. This season, he’s posted a 7.16 ERA in twelve starts.

This season, Rosario has a .265 ERA with three home runs. Last offseason, he sought a long-term deal with Cleveland, but both sides eventually settled on a $7.8M extension in arbitration.

Guardians’ Replacement for Rosario

In order for the Guardians to remain in the postseason race, they will need to be able to find a good replacement for Rosario. They have two young infielders in Tyler Freeman and Gabriel Arias. Freeman currently has a .295 ERA and five RBI, while Arias has a .188 ERA and four home runs. The Guardians could also turn to Brayan Rocchio, who has a .214 ERA.

Syndergaard’s Role

Noah Syndergaard, who is a former All-Star, will be joining his fourth team in just two seasons. Last year, he was dealt at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Angels to the Philadelphia Phillies. Three of the Guardians’ top starters, Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, and Cal Quantrill, are all on the injured list. Their starting rotation currently consists of veteran Aaron Civale and rookies Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, and Logan Allen. Syndergaard will likely take the place of one of the rookies, and will bring a veteran presence to the bullpen. The team’s pitching has been the team’s biggest strength. Of their starters, they have a combined 4.07 ERA which ranks tenth in the majors. The Guardians’ offense, however, ranks 25th in the majors with 420 runs scored. Look for the Guardians to potentially make a move before the deadline to add some offense.