New York Mets: Marcus Stroman about to enter the most important 60-game stretch of his life

Anyone that has been around Marcus Stroman knows that he doesn’t lack confidence. In himself, in his teammates, and in his abilities, above all things. Now, the New York Mets‘ hurler is confident that all the training hours he invested during the quarantine will pay off.

Scheduled to be a free agent at the season’s end, Stroman knows that he will have to produce great numbers if he wants to earn the biggest possible contract. He is about to enter the most important 60-game stretch of his career so far.

When Marcus Stroman joined the Mets last summer, the returns were not initially strong. Over his first seven starts with his new team, he posted a 5.05 ERA with a .320 opponents’ batting average — numbers that the right-hander attributed to an adjustment period moving from Toronto to New York.

“I’ve been playing year-to-year my entire career, essentially, so I’m looking forward to being settled,” Stroman said. “I truly believe that I’m going to be an untapped potential once I’m truly settled and know I’m not going anywhere for that year. … I think that’s going to do wonders for my mind, my body, my pitching ability — everything. I truly believe my best years are ahead of myself.”

In 2019, he started 32 games and pitched 184.1 frames. He finished with a 3.22 ERA and a 3.72 FIP, good for 3.9 fWAR. He went from the Toronto Blue Jays to the New York Mets prior to the trade deadline.

Adjusting to life with the Mets

Upon arriving to New York, Stroman struggled in his first seven starts with the Mets, posting a 5.05 ERA with a .320 opponents’ batting average. He adjusted and was 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA in his last four turns.

The coronavirus pandemic halted baseball for three and a half months, but Stroman took advantage of the off time and focused on his body. Per MLB.com, he worked out at his home in Florida, he added arm strength long tossing in his front yard, he constructed a bullpen mound on the dock overlooking the water and had New York Mets teammate Dominic Smith as a training partner in his home gym. He also spent time in a hyperbaric chamber.

As a result, his confidence got a boost, as well as his body.

“I feel like I’m in the best shape of my career, honestly,” Stroman said. “I feel stronger. I feel just as mobile, just as flexible, just as fluid, but I feel stronger. My arm feels stronger. I train extremely hard. Extremely hard. So I know I’m going to be in this game for a long time.”

“This guy brings such a positive attitude to the clubhouse, such a positive attitude to the game as well,” added Mets manager Luis Rojas. “In between the lines, you’ve seen his energy how he goes. As soon as he became a Met last year, you guys saw how the team also had a little bit of that push toward the end.”