Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Free agents have until Nov. 17 to accept the one-year qualifying offer worth $18.4 million. The Mets are waiting for Noah Syndergaard‘s answer. Michael Conforto has already declined his.
Teams had until Nov. 7 to give players the qualifying offer to eligible players. For the Mets, that meant Syndergaard and Conforto. Last season, they reached an agreement with Marcus Stroman on a qualifying offer.
Free agents who reject the qualifying offer are attached to draft pick compensation. Their former team receives a draft pick should they sign elsewhere, and their new team has to forfeit a draft pick and international bonus money. (The exact compensation depends on the contract size as well as the former team’s revenue sharing and luxury tax situation.) Players that have already declined it include Carlos Correa, Freddie Freeman, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien.
Syndergaard has missed the last two seasons with injury. Syndergaard made 24 and 30 starts his first two seasons. He only threw 30 1/3 innings in 2017. Then made 25 and 32 starts in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Syndergaard closed 2021 with two relief appearances and two innings thrown in the majors.
The 28-year-old right-hander expected he’d come back to the Mets at the end of the season.
“I’m fairly confident that we’ll reach an agreement, and I’ll be pitching here next year,” Syndergaard said. “I’d love nothing more than that. New York has a special place in my heart and always will be.”
He’s also willing to take the qualifying offer.
“It’s something I’d be extremely grateful for and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. It’s definitely something I’m hoping for,” Syndergaard said.
The QO makes the most sense for Syndergaard as he’ll attempt to rebuild his value in 2022 and work out a long-term deal with the Mets or somewhere else.
