MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds
USATSI

This Phillies are set to face the Mets in a four-game series in Philadelphia this coming weekend. Former Mets starter Noah Syndergaard, now with the Phillies after being traded there from the Angels in a deadline deal, will not be facing his former team. 

For the second time this season, Syndergaard was lined up to face the Mets, but circumstances have pushed him back. 

Back when Syndergaard was with the Angels, the Mets visited Anaheim for a three-game series, June 10-12. He was lined up to start the second game of the series, but instead the Angels re-shuffled the rotation and had him go from June 6 until June 14 between starts. Word from the team at the time was that he needed extra rest. 

This time around, Syndergaard started Monday against the Reds and was lined up to start Sunday against the Mets. Instead, the Phillies have moved Kyle Gibson up a day to start Sunday (on normal rest) and moved Syndergaard back to take the ball Monday against the Reds (again). 

The rationale (via the Philadelphia Inquirer) is that his start this past Monday was the first time all season Syndergaard went on four days' rest and he worked seven innings (though it was only 77 pitches). 

He had recently said he was excited to face the Mets. 

"It will be exciting," said Syndergaard (nj.com). "I didn't get to face them when they came to Anaheim (in June). I'm looking forward to it, seeing some of the old guys."

This coming series between the Phillies and Mets is the last time the two teams play each other this regular season, so the result here is Syndergaard will avoid facing the Mets in 2022, despite having had his turn in the rotation lined up twice to face them. 

Let's keep in mind that he had Tommy John surgery in 2020 and it makes sense to monitor his rest and workload. 

Syndergaard, 29, came up with the Mets in 2015 and was with them through last season. In the offseason, he declined the qualifying offer and instead took a one-year, $21 million deal to sign with the Angels. He called it the hardest decision of his life