MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

October 30, 2022

Noah Syndergaard

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. When did you find out that you were going to start? Did they tell you yesterday before the game? After the game?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Yeah, yesterday before the game. Topper and Caleb told me that I would be starting Game 3.

Q. I think you've only thrown no more than 35 pitches since that last start in DC. How far do you think you can go knowing this -- theoretically I guess it could maybe be your final start of the season. Do you think you could go more than one time through? How does your body feel right now?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Yeah, I feel like I could go for as long as they will allow me to. Just got to, now is the time as ever to empty the tanks, I mean, leave nothing left. So I'll go as long as they will allow me.

Q. It's been seven years since you started a World Series game. You were a rookie at that time. How has your mindset changed or how is it different maybe going into this start than it was going into that all that time ago?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I mean, seven years just seems like a long time ago. I was just a very naive rookie at the time. I've had a lot of baseball under my belt since then to mature and to accumulate some experience. I've been in this scenario before. I think the Phillies have been in this scenario before. We're even 1-1, taking it back to the Bank where I think we're pretty dangerous. That playing environment is really going to help us out.

I'm just really excited on a personal level to be able to toe the slab in a first World Series game since 2008 and just to get back to the great passionate fans of Philadelphia.

Q. How much has this year in particular how much do you feel like you've grown kind of coming back from surgery and re-inventing yourself to a certain extent as a pitcher?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: This year has really been a lot. Once the season ends I'm going to need quite a bit of time to decompress just because of the roller coaster of coming back from not pitching for two years, signing with the Angels, being with them and then being dealt over here on August 1st. And reaching the playoffs, just grinding out every playoff round. I love this team, I love these guys.

From the second I stepped into this clubhouse they welcomed Marshy and myself like we're family. And I can't say enough about these guys and just how talented and just good people they are.

Q. I just was wondering, what type of responsibility do you feel here? The series is tied, it's a big swing game. You guys have not trailed in a series throughout this postseason run. You're going to be backed by this fan base. With such a pivotal start in terms of how the series lines up, where is the sense of responsibility? What are you feeling kind of going into that?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I'm just focusing on being who I can be. I'm not trying to get outside my realm of a pitcher. I definitely learned a lot and feel like I've evolved as a pitcher, not just a thrower, over the course of this year.

I think just the important thing for me and for the team as a whole is to go out there and do what we've been doing the entire year. It is the World Series, but we have to just play like it's a normal game. Don't let the game speed up on us. Just focus on executing every pitch and having really quality at-bats. And just being a selfless teammate.

Q. You used to warm up in the bullpen at Citizens Bank Park in a Mets uniform. Now you warm up in a Phillies uniform. What are the different things you hear from the fans in those two instances?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Well I never had the ability to play a playoff game wearing a Mets jersey in Citizens Bank Park. But I'm more than happy and more relieved to be wearing a Phillies jersey down in that bullpen. Because, I mean, those fans are on those guys from pitch one to the end of the game. And they're an important part of this team and this organization as well.

Q. If Ranger hadn't pitched in relief in Game 1 he might be starting tomorrow. And then you probably would be starting Game 4. I'm wondering what kind of impresses you about Ranger and just how he goes from starting, to coming in the 7th inning in Game 1 of the World Series, to closing out the NLCS. What's your experience with him these past few months?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I mean, Ranger's just a guy that has just ice in his veins, but has the zen composure. Topper said it in the NLCS, like a speech at the end of the game. Like his heart rate does not get too elevated. He is able to maintain his composure and focus on executing pitches. And he's a nasty pitcher. He's an unbelievable fielder as well. Congratulations to him on getting the Fielding Bible Award. That's really cool.