Yesterday, we learned that a universal DH was among the proposed ideas sent between the MLB and MLBPA. As the news has circulated, the famous DH-or-no-DH arguments have been had. Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard decided to jump in with his take:
Universal DH?!?!? pic.twitter.com/qNLnKHFAS6
— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) February 6, 2019
Syndergaard has four career home runs, three of which came in 2016. The only other full-time pitchers with more home runs since the start of the 2015 season are Madison Bumgarner (11), Jake Arrieta (six), and Michael Lorenzen (six). Adam Wainwright is tied with Syndergaard at four in the last five years.
Syndergaard, in fact, hit two home runs in one game on May 11, 2016 in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. Bumgarner hit two in one game on April 2, 2017 against the Diamondbacks. Before those two, the last pitcher to smack two dingers in a game was the D-Backs’ Micah Owings on August 18, 2007 against the Braves. A pitcher has homered twice in a game just eight times since 2000.
It is fun to watch a pitcher occasionally crank out a long ball or two. That being said, Bumgarner is considered to be the best-hitting pitcher and he owns a career .540 OPS. Last season, the worst OPS among qualified hitters was Chris Davis at .539.