The Cubs and Marcus Stroman explored an extension this spring, reports Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun Times. While no deal was reached, the door seems to still be open on some sort of extension coming together this season.
Stroman is off to a fantastic start this season, working to a 2.28 ERA over his first eight starts. That sort of form makes it increasingly likely that Stroman opts out of the final year and $21MM remaining on his contract in 2024.
“I’ve been open with the front office here, been very vocal that I want to be here and I want an extension, that I don’t want to honestly make it to free agency,” Stroman told Lee. “The organization top down, how they handle the players, how they handle the families, how they operate, I love everything about it. So, I would love to be a Cub for, honestly, the rest of my career, and sign one more deal and be done.”
While it’s fairly common for players approaching free agency to declare an interest in a reunion, those comments from Stroman are particularly strong and do show a clear desire from his side to remain a Cub long term. While it’s unclear how far extension talks got during the spring, Lee adds that they haven’t reopened them so far this season.
Stroman joined the Cubs last year on a three-year, $71MM deal and has been a steady arm at the top of their rotation. Over 33 combined starts since, Stroman owns a 3.19 ERA, striking out 7.9 batters per nine innings and walking 2.6. He’s spent time on the Covid IL and also missed a little bit of time to shoulder inflammation last season, but has generally been a regular fixture in Chicago’s rotation.
Even with some regression from his quality start to the season, Stroman appears a very good shout to top the $21MM remaining on his deal. He’ll also be ineligible for a qualifying offer, further boosting his market opportunities. The starting pitching market is strong this year, with Shohei Ohtani, Julio Urias and Aaron Nola all headlining it, with the likes of Jordan Montgomery, Lucas Giolito, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto all quality options. In fact, those seven players all featured on Tim Dierkes’ recent Free Agent Power Rankings. Stroman would very much fit into that mix, and would expect to do well in free agency.
As for the Cubs, they do have a fair bit of money tied up to the likes of Dansby Swanson, Jameson Taillon, Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ in 2024, with payroll commitments currently sitting at about $148MM for next season, but they’re also off to a solid start in 2023 and they’ll be expected to spend again next winter as they look to push their new core back to playoff contention.
I say extend Stroman he’s a known quantity and he’s been good for the Cubs. Can never have enough good pitching, pitching depth is what keeps teams in the playoff hunt.
He’s also fairly durable, too. Quality arm you can rely on.
Yes! Hope the Cubs are able to extend him.
With how he’s performed for the Cubs, I think 2 years/$70M or 3 years/$100M would be completely reasonable in today’s market.
Big picture the two combined deal equaling 4 years/$120M or 5 years/$150M would both be a very fair deal. Not an underpay, not an overpay. Which, I know, that’s rare- a player being paid exactly what they’re worth and no boost or discount to their salary, but it does happen.
He’s 32. He’s probably looking for a 4-6 year deal to end his career. Cubs should give him 4.
Fair enough. Then 4 years/$120M would probably get it done. Maybe 5 years/$135M.
He has one more year left on his current deal. I’d tack on 3 more years to it. At 3/88 for a total of 4/111.7 mil. And overall 160mil/6 that’s about 5mil more than Jon Lester got.
I don’t think of Stroman as an “Ace” so I’d be a little hesitant to give him that type of AAV.
I think people forget, Stroman too a higher AAV but less years on this contract. Even given the current market I would put him at 22-25 million and in hindsight, I think the 25 high end is a little generous.
Lol that’s way too much. That’s top tier money. Too much for a guy who’s probably gonna start his decline. I’d be happy to extend him at 3 years $80m (for ‘24-‘26) with a $20m option ($2m buyout) for a 4th year. And that’s already taking into account the ridiculous inflated raises that major leaguers are getting these days. And that would seem like the kind of deal that is good for the player and the team.
Four years 96 million guaranteed no-trade and no opt outs
The thing with that deal is it’s barely even a raise and he’s losing no-trade rights that he’d gain at 10 years in the league and 5 years on the same team. But yeah I do think right around $25m a year (and probably including a no-trade clause) is the way to keep him around for about 4 more years. Also, not sure why he’d want an opt out at a point where he’s publicly on record as willing to end his career playing with the Cubs.
You know why he wants to opt out.
Heh heh heh heh…
You know why.
I’d be really comfortable with a 4/100 contract, I’d throw in some incentive bonuses as well for innings pitched.
Stroman isn’t an “Ace” but he’s an upper third of the rotation starter, constantly giving you around a 3.5 era and with Swanson, Hoerner and PCA (someday) up the middle, Happ and Suzuki flanking in center field, Stroman should be able to out pitch his FIP.
***Also worth noting, Canario is back in Iowa. Super excited to see if he can build off his season last year.
I wouldn’t mind TERRIBLY if they extended Stroman. I mean he takes great care of himself and he’s reliable. Still all in all the Cubs have guys coming so the question is whether in 2 years is he blocking someone from making a leap who will be a lot cheaper? I would expect Stroman wouldn’t want to sign a team friendly deal so he will probably walk. The Cubs are building their organization the right way finally based on pitching so I assume an opt out, QO offer refusal and draft pick scenario. Unless he isn’t eligible for a QO which I don’t know.
Canario has always been in Iowa and as far as I know he’s still on the 60 day injury list. Haven’t heard anything different but I hope you’re right.
Dang hear-say! I was told he played the other night. Maybe he did a BP session.
Stroman already had and accepted the qualifying offer in 2021 after opting out of 2020.
Yeah Canario being back now would be a miraculous recovery. I mean he’s on the Iowa DL but I’m pretty sure he’s in AZ rehabbing. I figured August maybe recovering from 2 surgeries. Would be awesome.
Friday Canario was still in Extended Spring Training in Arizona. He just start taking BP a couple weeks ago. Hasn’t played in any games. Id be surprised if he’s getting activated.
Canario separated his shoulder and trashed his ankle. I heard he had to have screws put in his ankle, But not positive. He had to have surgeries separately because it really would of sucked trying to live with one arm and one leg. And if he had screws put in his ankle he might need another surgery to remove them. I’d be surprised if he saw any time before the All star Break, But I hope you guys are right. I’ve been trying to get some info on the Cubs minor league injuries to see how Devers, Drew Gray and Canario are doing but it’s like a black hole.
I’m aware of his injuries Mike, I’ve seen video and photos of Canario’s. Both Devers and Gray are throwing bullpen sessions.
4 years on top of the 1 year left? Or do they tear the current deal up?
Knowing Stroman he will want 30 mill he’s that type of player just bad energy not sure why he should get 96 million think this is way off.
Stalker Boy Harambe, The most pathetic Stalker in the history of this site. Get lost feeb.
You’d get more value by investing in Bed, Bath & Beyond stocks.
“a very good shout”
Simon’s NZ colloquialism shining through.
It looks like Stroman has finally found a team that he actually enjoys playing for, at least so far. I think a big reason that he didn’t get a larger contract as a free agent was because teams didn’t want the headache of having to deal with his immature, narcissistic ways. Maybe he’s finally turning a corner with his need to be all about himself.
I cannot say I followed Stromans early career all that closely but I will say sometimes players unfairly get labeled a certain way and I can easily see that being the case for Stroman.
Stroman is fun, energetic, outspoken and wears a “doo rag”. That has always rubbed “traditionalist” the wrong way.
The Cubs, since Epstein was first hired, really have had a “fun” clubhouse and the fans have embraced it quite well.
Stroman just seems like he wants to go out there, do his job and have fun doing it but that isn’t the way some organizations are.
I’m a Jays fan and a big Stroman guy. He lived T.O. and Canada. I live in Newfoundland it’s an island that’s the eastern tip of North America, the city here has 225k ppl and it’s half the island population. Anyway he even made a trip here the beginning of the season he was traded, point being he’s loyal AF. How could u not want to sign him as a jay his only real time on the IL was a freak ST incident were the sprinklers came out and a tore his MCL or acl. He has 1/2 starter nunbers, is a gamer and what cuz he’s 5’8″ you don’t want him? He’s 32 add 3 or 4 years on to his existing deal you will be rewarded. Even at adding 4 he would only be 36
“Stroman appears a very good shout”
Huh? Did you mean a very good shot?
No mate, he meant ‘shout’
He’ll fade as he ages. Pass.
Cubs getting handled roughly by the Twins. Cuffed around like a punked kid.
Thoughts?
National League only has 5 of 15 teams over .500. That mountain of mediocrity actually has the Cubs in playoff contention.
Thoughts?
Yeah in my honest opinion, Stroman is a bum. Hes turning it on because its a contract year. Any owner that goes out and gives him a big long-term deal is going to regret it once he starts dogging it. As an example, during the Covid year Stroman sat out the whole season, which was a contract year but he was garenteed to get a qualiying offer and he knew that, he sat out because he had a knee issue and didn’t want to risk coming back and not pitching at full 100% and risk jepardizing his next contract with poor stats. He used the excuse that he was scared of Covid, yeah sure. Hes constantly either starting fights or race baiting on social media as well. Theres something mentally wrong with this guy. Hes the type of guy whos the smallest in the room and tries to make up for it by having the biggest mouth. Not to mention that he was a confirm steriod user as well, with his suspension that came in the minors
Your white hood is wound a bit too tight
This post is comically racist and you went with the “I’m not racist because” post later by saying you liked Granderson.
@drasco036 First off you replied on the wrong post. The second problem is you think its racist to like Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, and Curtis Granderson? You do realize that only around 5 to 10% of MLB position players are black right? And most of them don’t stick around long. In recent years, the only long standing black MLB position players I can remember in the past 15 years are Granderson, Adam Jones, Mookie Betts, Buxton, Justin Upton, Derek Jeter, Aaron Judge and Jason Heyward. I think that Derek Jeter was one of the nicest guys in the MLB, but I’m not mentioning him because I’m a Mets fan. You are obviously deranged
Your projection is showing
Reading is fundamental, I learned that when I was a child.
I didn’t reply to the wrong post. I replied to your blatantly racist post above and then mentioned your later Granderson post.
You obviously do not know anything about Stroman and don’t care to. You have zero idea how involved he is in charity if you did you know about his height doesn’t equal heart charity and know while he was “scared” of Covid, he was making sure inner city youths were getting hot meals. You would also know his persona is a conscious decision to make baseball more desirable for kids.
You don’t like Stroman because he embraces his couture, basically, Stroman is too black for you and your bias shines through in your judgmental attitude towards him.
Drasco,
I like you.
Who isn’t a bum to you?
@YankeeBleacherCreature Just to name a few, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, Pete Alonso, Max Fried, Nolan Arenado, Xander Bogaerts, Kodai Senga, Ohtani etc.
Look, I respect that you’re passionate about the Mets and baseball but don’t get too caught up in that negative stuff.
I haven’t shared this story on MLBTR – I grew up idolizing Ken Griffey, Jr. Face of baseball, family man, very likeable, and all. Many years ago, I was at a pretty exclusive small nightclub in NYC. Some members of the visiting Reds team were hanging out there as well. I personally witnessed Griffey, Jr. canoodling with a woman which wasn’t his wife. Not a big deal. Athlete’s lifestyle. None of my business. I won’t lie that I felt disappointed seeing that bc it shattered my perception of his persona.
I don’t think thats ok to do but its pretty much common knowledge that around 70% of MLB players are cheating on their wives. I try to take everything into consideration when liking a baseball player. I do think though there are guys that would never cheat on their wives or do anything harmful like Freddie Freeman or Paul Goldschmidt, these guys are the cream of the crop when it comes to class. I remember Curtiss Granderson on the Mets would always help with charity and was an all around nice guy. Like who you like I guess
They should pass. This player demonstrates poor character, is not a leader in any form or fashion, whines, complains and doesn’t really move the needle, a 5 inning only guy. Puts together good numbers on paper in limited innings, then acts like a petulant child when things don’t shake out his way. Not a team player. There’s a reason he could only secure a 3yr deal despite being in his “prime”, teams know this. Only a matter of time before he’s a 5.00 era guy, to match his overall losing record and personality. Hard pass.
Your name says it all.
And you’re a clown who adds ZERO value to the discussion. Run along and feign outrage elsewhere.
No name in baseball can trigger white conservatives faster than Marcus Stroman.
The comments here are insane
It’s funny how conservative used to mean “conservative spending government”, small government that wanted to impact Americans lives as little as possible. Now “conservative” means ultra religious/racist nut jobs.
“New speak” aside, “traditionalist” hate when a player shows too much “color”. Every time a black or Latino athlete shows any emotion they come out with the “just do your job” comment. But it’s okay, they are not racist because they like Derrek Jeter and think he’s a “nice guy”
It’s funny how you lack the intellect to dispute any of the BASEBALL reasons I cited. Instead, it’s about your disdain towards folks whom you disagree. It’s similarly hilarious how NO WHERE in my comment is race mentioned or implied, yet you base your whole inane retort on what I “meant”, was race based. You are 100% unwell, seriously. Seek professional help. Turn off whatever’s rendered you broken. Cheers!