MLB free agency has officially begun and the hot stove season is upon us. As teams look to upgrade their rosters through signings, speculation abounds as to where stars like Trevor Bauer and George Springer will eventually land.
Mets fans, in particular, are curious to see how new owner Steve Cohen will transform a sub-.500 ballclub into a championship contender. While many fans have Trevor Bauer high on their offseason wish list, Bauer is not the most desirable hurler on the open market.
Contrary to popular belief, that distinction belongs to none other than Marcus Earl Stroman. Indeed, re-signing Stroman should be a top priority for Steve Cohen and company this winter. Even if some fans harbor bitter feelings toward Stroman, the New York native remains an ideal fit in Queens.
Opting Out
The Mets have extended a one-year, $18.9 million qualifying offer to Stroman, and there’s at least some chance that he will end up accepting that deal. Prior to this year, it was assumed that Stroman would have no trouble fielding multi-year offers in his first experience with free agency. But then the coronavirus pandemic caused global disruption, leading to an abbreviated, highly abnormal baseball season. Stroman began the 2020 season on the sidelines due to a torn calf muscle, before ultimately choosing to opt out of the campaign altogether.
The righty’s decision was completely understandable given the health risks and uncertainties surrounding MLB’s 60-game schedule. However, Stroman may have also cost himself a lucrative contract by failing to add to his resumé. Although he’s guaranteed to draw interest from various clubs, Stroman may ultimately decide that it’s best to rebuild his value by performing well on a one-year deal.
Should Stroman remain in Queens, he’ll give the Mets the type of reliable arm that they so desperately need.
Sinkerball Sensation
In an era dominated by sluggers, Stroman’s greatest asset is his ability to keep the ball in the park. Since debuting with the Blue Jays in 2014, Stroman has produced a ground ball rate of 58.6 percent, trailing only Dallas Keuchel for the best mark among pitchers with at least 800 innings in that span.
Few would characterize Stroman as a true ace like Jacob deGrom, but he’s an ideal middle-of-the-rotation starter on a contending team. Stroman has excelled against elite competition, posting an ERA+ of 145 with the Blue Jays in 2017, and 153 in his 21 starts for Toronto in 2019. His 3.77 ERA for the Mets in 2019 was relatively underwhelming, though he did go 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA in his final four starts for the Amazin’s that season.
Stroman’s track record speaks for itself, and his peripheral numbers suggest that he may have yet to reach his ceiling. Indeed, a close examination of Stroman’s Statcast metrics demonstrates how he can go from dependable innings eater to one of the game’s best hurlers. As effective as his trademark sinker has been over the years, it’s far from the only lethal weapon in his arsenal. Stroman also possesses a filthy slider that keeps hitters off balance and induces soft contact.
Since the start of 2017, Stroman has limited opposing batters to a .188 average and .260 slugging percentage on his slider. The slider paid major dividends for him in the second half of 2019, when he held opponents to a wOBA of .191 in at-bats ending on the pitch. During that span, the only starters who posted a lower mark were Jack Flaherty, Robert Stephenson, Justin Verlander, Sonny Gray, and Mets teammate Noah Syndergaard.
Continuing to hone the slider should benefit Stroman, who also plans on adjusting his pitch selection going forward. In 2019, Stroman threw the four-seamer a career-low 2.4 percent of the time. He plans on throwing the pitch more often –particularly up in the zone — while pairing it with a split-changeup to generate more strikeouts.
The Bauer Comparison
Trevor Bauer may very well be the NL Cy Young winner this year, and his ultimate landing spot in free agency will be a constant source of speculation. Bauer is a gifted pitcher, to be sure, but Stroman may be the safer bet. After all, Bauer’s sterling 2020 campaign was aided by the fact that he only faced teams from the Central divisions. Of Bauer’s eleven starts in 2020, only one came against an above-average offense (the White Sox).
Stroman and Bauer are both 29 years old, so Bauer does not hold any discernible advantage when it comes to age. Bauer’s career has also been riddled with mediocrity — before 2020, he had posted a sub-four ERA in just one of his major league seasons, including an unsightly 6.39 ERA in his initial stint with the Reds in 2019. Stroman has been far more consistent, and unlike Bauer, he won’t need a megadeal to satisfy his needs.
Of course, one cannot compare Stroman and Bauer without also taking their intangibles into account. Both are showy personalities with active Twitter accounts, which can sometimes draw criticism from fans. The difference is that Stroman uses his social media platform to stir excitement among the fan base and promote his charity, HDMH (Height Doesn’t Measure Heart). Bauer, on the other hand, is far more divisive in his approach, and on several occasions has used his considerable influence to bully women online.
Stroman’s showmanship may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he should be credited with understanding the inherent responsibility of his platform.
Searle’s Final Say
Many Mets fans remain upset with Marcus Stroman, believing his decision to opt out of the 2020 season to be “selfish.” But I firmly believe that no one should be blamed for sitting out a season that came with considerable health risks, especially when that player was already limited by a minor injury.
The fact of the matter is that Stroman is a superb all-around athlete who works tirelessly to perfect his craft. He’s still on the right side of 30, and if the DH is to be limited to the AL in 2021, the Mets would benefit from having a pitcher who can also handle the bat. Stroman lives for the spotlight, which is why the Flushing Faithful should hope that he stays in the Big Apple.
