I travelled to P.S. 111 in Manhattan, New York today for a charity event featuring Noah Syndergaard and Monster Truck driver Bryce Kenny. Noah was on hand raise awareness of the annual fundraising campaign by Great Clips to help children in public schools. Syndergaard and Great Clips presented the school with a check for $40,000.

Syndergaard arrived looking like a rock star, sporting a big smile and donning his sunglasses, and the kids loved him. He and Kenny joked about the intricacies between Monster Truck driving and pitching before presenting a giant check to school officials.

After speaking to the students about his lifelong love of sports, I had the pleasure of speaking to Syndergaard about a variety of topics.

I asked him if he could elaborate on how he felt about still being with the Mets, despite all the trade rumors he was involved in at the deadline.

“I have two more years of team control, and I’m already sick of these trade scenarios,” Syndergaard said. “I really wish they would stop because I hate picturing in my head the possibility of me not ever wearing a Mets’ uniform. But at the same time, I can’t let it affect me because it’s completely out of my control.”

“The second that the clock ran out on the trade deadline, I was very relieved to still be a Met,” Syndergaard added.

In his next outing after the deadline, Syndergaard delivered his best start of the season, striking out 11 batters against the White Sox, while allowing only one unearned run and five hits over 7.1 innings.

“I was able to tune it all out,” Syndergaard said about that start. “I don’t really hold grudges in terms of that because the media can create what it wants. Who knows what the truth is in the front office.”

I then asked Syndergaard if the Mets had ever approached him about signing a contract extension, similar to the one Jacob deGrom signed during the offseason and he was certainly open to the idea.

“No, they haven’t. But that would be really cool though,” Syndergaard said. “It’s good for Jake though because he really deserves it. I honestly think he’s the best pitcher in baseball. He possesses tremendous stuff and the way he goes out there and competes is really something special to watch.”

Syndergaard, who just turned 27 in August, is earning $6 million dollars for the 2019 season and will be looking at a couple of substantial pay raises this offseason and next in his final two years of arbitration. He becomes a free agent after the 2021 season.

There had been some talk about locking Syndergaard up to a longterm deal during Sandy Alderson’s final year as Mets general manager, but there’s been no buzz about that from first-year GM Brodie Van Wagenen.

At the time, Syndergaard was quite keen to the idea as was reported by the Record. “I love being a Met, I love New York City, the fan base is great and has been very kind to me… Only time will tell.”

Fellow right-hander Zack Wheeler is a free agent after this season and newly acquired Marcus Stroman becomes a free agent after next season. Some significant upcoming decisions lie ahead for Brodie and the Mets.