Marcus Stroman was supposed to be the New York Mets‘ third starter entering the 2020 season. However, during the “summer camp,” he suffered a calf strain that bumped him out of the opening day roster. Once he recovered, he decided not to play amid concerns with the coronavirus.
The Mets, who had already lost Noah Syndergaard to Tommy John surgery, couldn’t recover from the loss of Stroman. They failed to qualify for the MLB postseason after a lot of hype in the preceding months.
The New York Mets had acquired Stroman prior to the 2019 trade deadline, and he went on to start 11 games with them before the end of last year’s season. In those eleven turns, he had a 3.77 ERA in 59.2 innings. He conceded 65 hits, walked 23 batters and struck out 60, with a 1.47 WHIP.
To get Stroman, the Mets had to surrender pitching prospects Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson to the Toronto Blue Jays. Now, the 29-year-old right-hander is set to be a free agent when the World Series ends.
The Mets need quality pitchers
Will the Mets make a play to bring him back? Stroman always said he loved his time with the team, which makes his return a possibility. However, he plans on testing the market and is set for a sizable payday, with starting pitching always at a premium.
Last month, while replying to a Twitter comment, Stroman said he is eager to test free agency. I’m excited. Took forever to get here and my best years are ahead of me!,” he explained.
It’s unlikely that he gives the Mets any kind of discount, but they should be players for his services, now with Steve Cohen as the new owner. And there is a clear need, since the team only has Jacob deGrom, David Peterson and Steven Matz under contract for the rotation.