Noah Syndergaard turning to unusual method to snap out of his struggles
May 14, 2019; Washington, DC, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (34) looks on from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Noah Syndergaard is leaving no stone unturned as he tries to turn his disastrous 2023 season around.
The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander shared this week that he has turned to hypnosis to try to snap out of his struggles. Syndergaard revealed to Jack Harris of the LA Times that (several times in recent weeks) he puts on an eye mask, relaxes his body, and dozes off as Dodgers mental skills coach Brent Walker speaks softly to his subconscious.
“I’ll try just about any resource I have,” Syndergaard was quoted as saying. “Just to snap out of it.
“I’ve done a lot of meditation and mindfulness practices [in the past],” the 30-year-old pitcher added. “This is similar feels. It’s just like trying to get your body in a super deep state … Matching the physical side with how my mind is working.
Syndergaard also said that he believes the root of his issues lie in his subconscious, noting that he still has mental scars from his 2020 elbow injury (that required Tommy John surgery) and his subsequent recovery.
You can read Harris’ full article about Syndergaard’s hypnosis practice and his overall mental health journey here.
The former All-Star Syndergaard, who got a one-year deal from the Dodgers in the offseason, is having a miserable year. In seven total starts for them, he has a 1-3 record with a bloated 6.12 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Syndergaard is also managing just 5.8 strikeouts per nine innings and is averaging 92.6 miles per hour on his fastball (far below his career average of 97.7 mph).
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Wednesday that Syndergaard could potentially go on the injured list (he left his latest start against Milwaukee on Tuesday after just one inning due to a large cut on his index finger).
#Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said an IL move with Syndergaard is "a possibility." Will know more in the next couple days. "But we want to give Noah and the training staff some time before we make that decision" about his next start.
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) May 10, 2023
Syndergaard actually isn’t the first MLB figure who has turned to hypnosis. But as he looks to recover his “Thor” form, Syndergaard is hoping that it can be effective for him.
