Angels fans shouldn't be concerned that Noah Syndergaard went to the Dodgers

Last offseason, the Los Angeles Angels took two big swings at starting pitchers. They signed risky free agents to one-year deals to see if they could light a spark and help them get back to the postseason for the first time since 2014. Neither pitcher showed much on the mound and Noah Syndergaard didn't even last the whole year with the Angels.

With the Halos out of postseason contention, they traded Noah Syndergaard to the Phillies in the deal that brought Mickey Moniak back to Anaheim. Syndergaard pitched for the Phillies and looked decent in the postseason as the Phillies won the NL Pennant.

With Syndergaard a free agent once again, he signed a one-year deal with the crosstown rival Dodgers.

Noah Syndergaard going to the Dodgers shouldn't be seen as a big deal to Angels fans.

Syndergaard made 15 starts for the Angels and went 5-8 with a 3.83 ERA. He often kept the Angels in games and was definitely serviceable. He just wasn't anything like the pitcher he was with the Mets.

The Angels signed Syndergaard to a one-year $21 million dollar deal last offseason. He also rejected the Qualifying Offer from the Mets so he had draft pick compensation attached to him.

Syndergaard was so sought after because of who he was, and the hopes he'd be anything close to that guy.

Prior to his injury Syndergaard averaged 97.8 mph with his fastball. That went down substantially to 94.1 mph this past season.

In 2019 Syndergaard struck out 9.2 batters per nine. This past season that number collapsed to 6.3/9. He can still be effective, he just isn't who he was.

Syndergaard is in the process of re-inventing who he is as a pitcher without his big fastball. He's a guy who will rely a lot on ground balls and his fielders making plays for him. Again, not a problem, but he isn't a guy who you'll put at the front of your rotation and expect to put hitters away with ease as he did as a Met.

Is it possible Syndergaard looks much better with the Dodgers? Absolutely. It might even be likely. I still don't think that should be of any concern to the Angels or Angels fans.

He might be in Los Angeles, but he pitches in the National League and the Dodgers are a team the Halos play just four times in 2023. If he pitches well, that won't have any impact on the Angels unless it's against them. The Angels took a risk and it didn't end up panning out. That doesn't mean we have to be concerned about how that player does elsewhere.

It'll be interesting to see how Syndergaard does for a team that's been known to transform pitchers who might not be considered the best. Just look at what they did with Tyler Anderson. I'm sure he'll do better another year removed from Tommy John Surgery as well. The Angels can probably find a pitcher who was just as good as Syndergaard was this past year for the $13 million dollars he went for. Let's see what Perry does.