5 things to know about Cleveland Guardians trade acquisition, pitcher Noah Syndergaard

The Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday evening decided to swing a trade sending shortstop Amed Rosario to the Los Angeles Dodgers in return for starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard, according to multiple reports.

Rosario was in the midst of a down season with the Guardians offensively this season, slashing .265/.306/.369 with a .675 OPS and three home runs. But the far greater issue for manager Terry Francona was Rosario's defense.

At the time of the trade, Rosario had minus-15 defensive runs saved to his name, according to FanGraphs data. Not only is that the worst mark in baseball among qualified infielders, the only qualified fielder who's been worse this season is Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies (a notoriously paltry defender who usually makes up for those shortcomings with the thunder in his bat).

Cleveland decided to move on from Rosario and go with other infield options, but the return in the trade hasn't been fairing better at the time of the deal.

Syndergaard, a former All-Star during his time with the New York Mets, has struggled mightily and spent time on the injured list this season with the Dodgers. At the time of the trade, Syndergaard sported a 1-4 record with a 7.16 ERA and 1.446 WHIP over 12 starts (55.1 innings pitched).

At just 30 years old it stands to reason Syndergaard has more in the tank, but he hasn't been able to match that All-Star season from his time in the Big Apple.

Here's what Guardians fans should know about the team's latest acquisition.

Noah Syndergaard was an All-Star in his second season in the big leagues

As previously mentioned, Syndergaard made his first and only All-Star team with the Mets in 2016 — his sophomore year in MLB.

During that campaign, Syndergaard went 14-9 with a sparkling 2.60 ERA in 31 games pitched (30 starts). One key to his success was limiting the long ball, as he allowed just 11 homers that year for a 0.5 home runs allowed per nine innings pitched.

Unfortunately for the 6-foot-6 right hander, he hasn't been able to replicate that success in the seasons since.

Noah Syndergaard earned the nickname 'Thor' from his hulking frame and flowing hair

"Thor" as Syndergaard is known, earned the Marvel nickname not only for having similar hair and physical build to the superhero and Avenger, but also for a viral social media post.

Back in 2013, as NJ.com's Maria Guardado reported, Syndergaard posted the above tweet in full costume as Marvel's "Thor" when he was a Mets prospect.

Needless to say, the nickname stuck, due largely to his likeness to the comic icon.

Noah Syndergaard appeared as an extra in HBO's 'Game of Thrones'

Not to be undone, the man appropriately nicknamed "Thor" worked his way into the canon of a different piece of pop culture.

We'll do our best to avoid spoilers even though the show has long since ended (we recommend not watching the dreadful final season), but Syndergaard appeared in "Thrones" as a Lannister soldier, wielding a large spear in an intense battle.

"Thor" traded in his hammer for a different weapon in this guest spot.

Noah Syndergaard one of many MLB pitchers to undergo Tommy John surgery

Back in Spring Training ahead of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Syndergaard started feeling discomfort in his elbow.

After Mets camp was shut down due to the emergence of COVID-19 in the United States, Syndergaard went in for an MRI that revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing elbow.

The tear required a Tommy John surgery that he has since recovered from, but Syndergaard's injury woes have continued throughout his career.

Noah Syndergaard his own worst critic during stint with Dodgers

At the time of the trade with Cleveland, Syndergaard was on the 15-day injured list with a blister on one of his fingers. Though it's not an uncommon injury for pitchers, and one that superstar Shohei Ohtani has also dealt with since making the move to MLB, Syndergaard's frustrations initially boiled over with his performance earlier this season before he was yet again met with injury issues.

“It really sucks. Right now I feel like I’m the only weakest link on this team,” Syndergaard said after allowing five runs on seven hits against the Washington Nationals in May. “I’m going to go out there and compete to try and be successful with the other guys in this clubhouse. It’s just not working out.”

Again, Syndergaard hasn't been able to harness the same elite level of play he displayed while with the Mets, and that's led to frustrations and feelings of letting his team and teammates down.

Perhaps a change of scenery in Cleveland is what "Thor" needs to get back to his peak performance. Provided he'll be a free agent at the end of the 2023 season, Syndergaard will need to improve his numbers on the mound if he plans to get a lucrative contract in free agency this winter.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 5 things to know about Guardians trade acquisition Noah Syndergaard