Kirk Nieuwenhuis has seen Noah Syndergaard’s maturation for longer than most, beginning with their time as teammates at Class AAA Las Vegas in 2014.
Last season with the Mets, Nieuwenhuis noticed that Syndergaard had turned a corner mentally, evolving into a complex psychological force on the mound, creating a lethal mixture when combined with his 6-foot-6 frame and physical talent. In his exceptional rookie season in 2015, he struck out 10 or more batters five times.
In the sixth inning on Sunday, having already struck out twice against Syndergaard, Nieuwenhuis, now a starting outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, was lost against his former teammate.