MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

November 2, 2022

Noah Syndergaard

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Pregame 4 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Noah Syndergaard.

Q. You obviously don't know what's going to happen tonight, but is it exciting for you to know that possibly you could be pitching in a, starting a World Series clinching game tomorrow? Has that thought crossed your mind?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: A little bit, yeah. I just try to take it one step at a time, one day at a time. We have Noles on the hill tonight, so it's going to be super exciting with the fans and the environment.

This year's just been kind of a whirlwind for me. I think anybody that gets traded in the middle of the year, used as like a rental piece, it kind of puts anybody out of their comfort zone. But I think it's really helped me grow as a person and as a pitcher.

Q. What about being in this position regardless, the fact that you struggled a little bit in August and you were pitching out of the bullpen in September and now you're, you pitched the clincher in the NLDS and again in a big game tomorrow either way.

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Yeah, I just try to go out there and have success in whichever role they choose to use me in. I think it's going to be really cool to have the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with Justin Verlander. Him and I -- shoutout to Eric Schoenberg. He's the physical therapist that took Justin and I through our rehab. Justin's a guy that I've looked up to my entire life, and to be able to go toe-to-toe with him again, I mean, we started the year off facing off against each other.

So I mean, just the whole opportunity just kind of gives me chills.

Q. Your last World Series start you had a good outing and it really looked like you set the tone with that first pitch. Was that your goal? Was that intentional to do that?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I don't know, what did I say? Seven years ago, we'll go with that. I guess you could say, yeah, it was intentional. It certainly wasn't, I'm trying to remember what I was thinking seven years ago. I definitely wasn't trying to hit the guy, but I think every pitch and leading off every game, he had swung at every pitch, so I was going to throw one that he couldn't handle.

Q. I know when this year started you had a lot on your mind about working your way back from Tommy John and being in a new place and a lot of things personally to work on as a pitcher. You couldn't have never imagined that you would wind up being in the World Series probably pitching in a pivotal Game 5. Have you ever just taken a moment to kind of think about that? Are you trying not to dwell on the distance you've kind of come in that span of time?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: No, not really. It's just instilled in me. I don't really pay much attention to that.

Q. As he said, tomorrow's going to be big stakes one way or another, either a clincher or trying to go up 3-2 as the series goes back to Houston. Given the stakes, would it be fair to say that tomorrow's the biggest start of your career so far?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I would definitely think so, yeah. It's just going to be, every start this year's kind of been one that I'm not quite used to just because I haven't been able to, coming back from Tommy John, I haven't possessed the ability to throw a hundred miles an hour, off-speed stuff hasn't been the same. So I've really had to adapt and change my way of pitching, and I think it's just going to really help me out overall.

Q. You also mentioned that having the Verlander physical therapist in common, I know he had his surgery maybe six months after you, but did you guys overlap or spend any time together during that ensuing winter of 2020 into 2021?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Yeah, he was always at Cressey and whatnot. Him and I saw each other a lot.

Q. You've pitched in front of big crowds, different types of atmosphere. What did last night, just sitting in the dugout and seeing that crowd, how did that kind of compare to what you've seen?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I mean, Philly fans love their baseball. I was taking a morning walk and just noticing all the Phillies gear, just everybody's supporting us. I think it's awesome. Just, I think we're pretty lethal when we play here at the Bank, and it's really nice having 'em on our side.

Q. Chase Utley is throwing out the first pitch tonight. I'm curious, have you ever ran into him?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Am I going to have to catch it?

Q. Have you ever broken the ice with him since then?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: No. Not face-to-face, no.

Q. And now that you're on the Phillies side, what does he mean to Phillies baseball and --

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I've always admired the way he's played the game. He's a tremendous talent and I'm glad to be able to put on the same uniform as him.

Q. Does the result tonight change your mentality tomorrow? Whether you're going for a clinch or it's 2-2? Does anything change in your head?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: No, not really.

Q. You talked about having to adapt coming back from the injuries and not being able to throw as hard. Just how did you adapt? What did you learn about getting outs without being able to throw a hundred miles an hour? And like how did that change sort of you as a pitcher and as a person?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Really good question. Yeah, just forced me to focus on executing my pitches and being less internal on the mound and more focused on like the external and like results. Like I think really my Achilles Heel my entire career has been focusing on what I'm, what my body is doing during the game as opposed to just focusing on getting the hitter out. I think that's what really helped me this year.

Q. First question, how difficult has it been to stay sharp this week? You arrived here Monday thinking you were going to pitch and maybe you were going to come out of the bullpen Tuesday. So how tough was it just to kind of be able to get some work in and not knowing when you were going to go?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Really not that difficult to get work in. I don't know if you have seen me on the field, I love throwing. It's addicting to me. Especially because I'm not satisfied with where I'm at pitching-wise. So I'm always trying to work at it, get comfortable. So there's really no shortage of knocking the rust off.

Q. And then what's it been like to kind of go through this with Zack. In 2015 he was hurt so he wasn't really around a lot. But I'm sure you guys thought you would be in a lot of World Series together, as good as that rotation was. And to just kind of come full circle on a different team and be back with him again.

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: Zack's like a brother to me. I'm always rooting for him. I'm extremely happy for him and all these guys that really haven't had the opportunity to taste playoffs. And now we are here in the World Series so it's really exciting.

Q. On your walk this morning you're probably pretty, it's probably tough for you to hide when you're on a walk through Philly. Any fans say anything to you, stop you on the street across the street?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: No. There was just one guy that recognized me. That was it.

Q. Was that downtown where you were walking around?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I'm not familiar with the geography yet. But I'm not going to divulge where I'm staying right now. (Laughing.)

Q. You ever face a leadoff hitter like Schwarber? He's sort of different than that and I don't know if you approach a guy like that differently.

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I haven't really envisioned myself -- I'm a free agent at the end of this year and I definitely don't want to face our lineup right now. So we'll see.

Q. Have there been guys that in the past that are similar to that that you've had to face as a leadoff guy?

NOAH SYNDERGAARD: I think a name that comes to mind that had a lot of juice, had a lot of home runs as a leadoff guy, just a little different body type, I would say Curtis Granderson. He led off quite a bit and had some pretty serious power numbers.

But I faced Schwarber in '16 when he was with the Cubs in the playoffs. I don't think he was hitting lead off then, no. That's all I got.