MLB.com is keeping track of all the latest news and rumors surrounding right-hander Marcus Stroman, who is a free agent.
Read all about Stroman here.
Nov. 10: Here’s why Cards could consider Stroman
The Cardinals had MLB’s best defense in 2021, leading all teams in outs above average (50) and defensive runs saved (86) and setting a record with five Gold Glove Award winners. Accordingly, St. Louis’ offseason focus is centered around pitchers the club thinks can thrive with an elite defense behind them, with an emphasis on sinkerballers, per a report from Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
That could make the 30-year-old Stroman a prime target for the Cardinals, who are expected to explore whether they fit his asking price. Stroman has recorded a 58.4% ground-ball rate in his career, according to Baseball-Savant.
The Mets’ defense tallied +4 OAA and prevented three runs behind Stroman in 2021. In comparison, Cardinals righty Adam Wainwright had +25 OAA and 20 runs prevented behind him, both tops in the Majors.
Wainwright signed a one-year deal to return to the Cardinals for 2022 and Jack Flaherty is controllable for two more years, but the team’s rotation is otherwise unsettled heading into next season. Due to injuries, Miles Mikolas has been limited to nine starts since the beginning of 2020, and Dakota Hudson is coming off Tommy John surgery. As a result, addressing the pitching staff is expected to be the club’s top priority this offseason.
Stroman is not only a ground-ball-heavy pitcher but also one of the most durable starters in the game, despite his slight frame. The righty has made 32 or more starts in four of his past five seasons, not including 2020, when he elected not to play.
Stroman is expected to seek a multi-year contract after signing an $18.9 million qualifying offer to return to the Mets a year ago. MLB Trade Rumors recently predicted Stroman would get a five-year, $110 million deal. The largest free-agent contract the Cardinals have given to a pitcher is $80 million over five years to Mike Leake after the 2015 season.
Oct. 6: Padres a fit for Stroman?
The Padres made a number of big additions to their rotation last offseason, acquiring Blake Snell from the Rays, Yu Darvish from the Cubs and Joe Musgrove from the Pirates. However, the team’s starting depth proved to be a major weakness in the second half, and the club was forced to turn to the likes of Jake Arrieta and Vince Velasquez to start crucial games in September.
Although Snell, Darvish and Musgrove are all under control for 2022 and Mike Clevinger is expected to return from Tommy John surgery, San Diego is nonetheless expected to pursue veteran starters this offseason, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
One name being brought up in the club’s “preliminary” discussions? Marcus Stroman, who can become a free agent after the World Series and is ineligible for a qualifying offer after receiving one last offseason.
If the Padres end up pursuing Stroman, they figure to have a lot of competition. He’ll join Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman, Robbie Ray, Clayton Kershaw and Carlos Rodón as one of the best free-agent starters on the market.
After electing not to play in 2020, Stroman turned in a strong season for the Mets in ‘21, posting a 3.02 ERA over 179 innings with 158 strikeouts, 44 walks and 17 homers allowed. Not including 2020, the 30-year-old has averaged 30 starts and 174 innings per season dating back to 2016.