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Marcus Stroman

Latest On Marcus Stroman

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Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman opted out of pitching in 2020 because of concerns over COVID-19, but that shouldn’t stop the free agent from securing a big payday during the offseason. The Mets have already issued him a qualifying offer worth $18.9MM for next season, though Stroman could turn that down and test the open market. Indeed, he’s “more likely” than not to reject the QO, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

[RELATED: MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents With Predictions]

This isn’t necessarily a surprise for Stroman, who may be the top starter on the free-agent market after Trevor Bauer. The 29-year-old Stroman has been a quality No. 2/3 type throughout his career, which began in 2014 and has included 849 1/3 innings of 3.76 ERA/3.64 FIP pitching with 7.36 K/9, 2.59 BB/9 and a 58.6 percent groundball rate.

Stroman has posted 200-inning seasons on two occasions, and when he last pitched, he racked up 184 1/3 frames. That type of durability would  be welcome for the Mets or any other team looking for a starter capable of racking up a lot of frames and performing well. Just about every club is looking for a hurler like Stroman for its rotation, meaning he should rake in quite a bit of money in free agency.

Six Players Extended Qualifying Offers

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Six players will be extended qualifying offers this winter, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). Those players are:

None of the players issued the QO comes as a particular surprise. Bauer, LeMahieu, Realmuto and Springer were all easy calls for their respective teams. Each of that group will certainly reject the offer. Stroman and Gausman might’ve been tougher calls but had been reported previously.

More notable are the series of players who were not issued a QO. Astros outfielder Michael Brantley will hit the market unencumbered, as he did when he became a free agent two years ago. Oakland didn’t issue a QO to either of Marcus Semien or Liam Hendriks, while the Phillies and Angels decided against an offer for Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons, respectively. The six players issued a qualifying offer is down from last offseason’s ten, which isn’t much of a surprise since this winter is expected to be particularly tough for players in the wake of teams’ pandemic-driven revenue losses.

The players issued the qualifying offer will now have ten days to weigh their options. Players who reject the offer and become free agents will cost their signing teams draft compensation (or the right to recoup draft compensation if they sign with their current team). Here is a full run-down of the qualifying offer rules this offseason.

Mets Extend Qualifying Offer To Marcus Stroman

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TODAY: The Mets officially announced that Stroman was issued a qualifying offer.

OCTOBER 31: The Mets plan on extending a qualifying offer to starting pitcher Marcus Stroman before tomorrow’s deadline, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). The move does not come as a particular surprise, despite Stroman opting out of 2020. Some mystery remained, however, as the revenue losses around the game already made for some surprising cost-cutting decisions.

With that in mind, Stroman could consider accepting the $18.9MM offer, play one more year in New York, and return unencumbered to what should be at least a marginally more favorable free agent ecosystem after 2021. Under traditional circumstances, Stroman should have no problem finding a multi-year deal on the open market, but there’s more uncertainty than ever. Still, Stroman is among the very best free agent starters available, should he decline the qualifying offer and test the open waters. He is represented by Klutch Sports.

The Mets would likely welcome him back, especially with Noah Syndergaard to miss the beginning of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Stroman made 11 starts down the stretch after GM Brodie Van Wagenen traded for him on July 28, 2019. Stroman was a long-rumored trade candidate with the Blue Jays, but the Mets emerged somewhat surprisingly as his ultimate destination despite being at the very fringes of contention at the time. Stroman was unable to move the needle even while going 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA/4.15 FIP in 59 2/3 innings with 9.1 K/8 to 3.5 BB/9. The Mets gave up two pretty good pitching prospects in Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson for those 11 starts from Stroman, though at the time, of course, the Mets expected to get a full 2020 from Stroman as well. He ultimately opted out of the 2020 season.

Throughout his career with the Mets and Blue Jays, the 5’7″ right-hander has a 51-47 record across 146 appearances (140 starts) totaling 849 1/3 innings with a 3.76 ERA/3.64 FIP and 7.36 K/9, 2.59 BB/9, and 59.6 GB%. He went 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA/4.15 FIP in 5 playoff starts with the Jays between 2015 and 2016, including a 6-inning, 2 earned run no-decision in a deciding game 5 ALDS win over the Rangers in 2015.

Free Agent Faceoff: Gausman v. Stroman

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The upcoming offseason’s free-agent pitching market is not flush with ace-caliber talent. There’s Trevor Bauer, who should sign the richest deal in free agency (at least on an annual basis), and then a slew of hurlers with their share of warts. For those who can’t afford Bauer or the many bidders who lose out on him, there will be a shortage of high-caliber talent. Kevin Gausman and Marcus Stroman are likely the two best pending free-agent starters beyond Bauer, which doesn’t seem all that encouraging.

While both Gausman and Stroman have logged at least OK numbers for most of their careers, neither has been a top-level starter. For instance, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Gausman is only a year removed from the Braves placing him on waivers, but he was a capable starter with the Orioles before then and a good reliever with the Reds after that.

Gausman settled for a one-year, $9MM contract with the Giants last offseason, though that proved to be a great investment for the club. He wound up making 10 starts in 12 appearances as a Giant and pitching to a 3.62 ERA/3.09 FIP with 11.92 K/9 and 2.41 BB/9 across 59 2/3 innings. Among 81 pitchers who accumulated 50-plus frames, Gausman finished seventh in swinging-strike rate, 14th in K/BB ratio and 15th in FIP. There’s a lot to like about that combination, especially for someone who averages around 95 mph on his fastball.

Stroman, who will also turn 30 before next season, is the more accomplished hurler than Gausman. The former Blue Jay and current Met has recorded a 3.76 ERA/3.64 FIP through 146 games (140 starts) and 849 1/3 frames since he debuted in 2014. Stroman continued that sort of production last year between the teams, and though he doesn’t throw as hard as Gausman, he has overcome a relative lack of velocity with a high amount of grounders and a low number of walks. The problem for Stroman as he nears free agency is that he didn’t pitch at all in 2020 because of coronavirus-related concerns. You can’t blame Stroman for exercising caution, but it remains to be seen whether taking the season off will affect him on the market.

Now, considering the lack of quality starters going into the offseason, Gausman and/or Stroman could be in line for qualifying offers and fairly expensive multiyear pacts. Which player do you think should earn more? (Poll link for app users)

Marcus Stroman Opts Out Of 2020 Season

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The Mets announced Monday that right-hander Marcus Stroman has opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season. The right-hander, who is a free agent at season’s end, called the move a family decision and cited the many “uncertainties” and “unknowns” of playing in the current health-and-safety atmosphere.

This obviously represents a major blow to the Mets’ hopes in 2020. While Stroman will forgo the remainder of his $12MM salary, it isn’t as if there’s an obvious way for the team to reinvest it for a player of similar quality — at least, not without giving up substantial prospect value via trade.

The decision puts a bow on the Mets’ end of last summer’s trade that brought Stroman to Queens. Adding him cost two promising young starters: Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson. The club remained competitive late in 2019 but was already in too deep a hole to make a postseason run. And now Stroman won’t throw a pitch in the 2020 campaign.

It all sets up several intriguing contract situations in the future. Stroman, who had been on the injured list, did not opt out until after he had reached six full years of MLB service. That means he’ll still qualify for free agency. Whether the Mets will extend Stroman a qualifying offer, as once seemed sure, remains to be seen. And it’ll be interesting to see how the open market treats the high-quality 29-year-old.

Stroman is now listed among the players around the game that have opted out of the 2020 season.

Latest On Marcus Stroman

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Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman hasn’t debuted this year because of a tear in his left calf muscle, but the club’s No. 2 starter continues to make progress in his recovery. Stroman got through a four-inning simulated game unscathed on Friday, Tim Healey of Newsday relays.

Manager Luis Rojas said Stroman had “a very productive day,” though it remains unclear when the 29-year-old will be able to rejoin the Mets’ rotation.

Without Stroman, who’s facing a key year as a high-profile pending free agent, the Mets have turned to left-hander David Peterson to fill the void in their starting staff. That has gone well so far, as Peterson turned in 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball in a win over the Red Sox on Tuesday. As for the rest of New York’s rotation, back-to-back NL Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom has been his usual self thus far, and Steven Matz and Michael Wacha have prevented runs with aplomb through a combined three starts. However, Rick Porcello took a beating at the hands of the Braves in his first Mets start last Sunday. Porcello’s back on the mound in Atlanta on Friday.

Elsewhere on the Mets’ roster, the club has placed catcher Rene Rivera on the 10-day injured list with a hyperextended left (non-throwing) elbow and recalled righty Franklyn Kilome, per Healey. Rivera has joined Tomas Nido in starting one game behind the plate for the Mets this season, but the lion’s share of work has unsurprisingly gone to Wilson Ramos.

Rivera’s injury means the 25-year-old Kilome may get a chance to make his major league debut after working back from October 2018 Tommy John surgery. Kilome, whom the Mets acquired from the Phillies for infielder Asdrubal Cabrera just a few months before he underwent surgery, logged a 4.03 ERA/3.17 FIP with 9.95 K/9 against 2.37 BB/9 over 38 innings in his first action with the New York organization two years ago.

East Notes: Mets, Rays, Red Sox

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Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman is making progress in his recovery from the left calf tear he suffered last week. Stroman has returned to throwing “full tilt” bullpen sessions, manager Luis Rojas said (via Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News). Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner added that Stroman is still unable to sprint, so it remains unclear when he’ll be in line for his season debut. The sooner the better for the Mets, for whom Stroman is a must-have complement to ace Jacob deGrom. From his own standpoint, Stroman’s in for a rather important season with his first trip to free agency scheduled for the winter.

  • One of Stroman’s Mets teammates, fellow righty Jared Hughes, has been on the injured list since July 15. The team didn’t announce a reason for the move at the time, though it turns out he tested positive for the coronavirus, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. Hughes was symptomatic for roughly 10 days, per Rosenthal, but he’s now healthy and pitching at the team’s alternate training site. Prior to his bout with the virus, Hughes appeared as if he’d earn a season-opening roster spot after the Mets signed him to a major league contract.
  • The Rays have gotten good news on a couple of their outfielders who, because of their own positive COVID tests, have missed the season so far. Star Austin Meadows engaged in baseball activities on Wednesday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com relays (Twitter links). Manager Kevin Cash indicated Meadows could return sometime during the Rays’ Aug. 4-9 homestand. Meanwhile, Randy Arozarena was cleared to rejoin the team and resume baseball activities, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. He started a rehab assignment at the Rays’ alternate training site Wednesday.
  • The Red Sox, having gotten poor production from their patchwork rotation thus far, will give righty Zack Godley an opportunity as a starter, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald tweets. Godley, whom the Red Sox signed to a minor league contract this month, will make his first start with the club on Saturday against the Yankees. The former Diamondback and Blue Jay was an effective starter just a couple years ago before falling off dramatically last season. Godley had an extremely encouraging long-relief appearance Monday, though, as he tossed four scoreless, four-hit innings with seven strikeouts against no walks in a loss to the Mets.

Marcus Stroman Hoping For Quick Return

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Mets righty Marcus Stroman is hoping for a quick bounceback, as Tim Healey of Newsday reports. The starter has been slowed by a calf injury.

Stroman provided some further background on the injury. He says it looks worse on an MRI than it feels. Per Stroman, it was “shocking” to learn that he had suffered what he alternately labeled as a “tear” or “slight strain.”

While the 29-year-old says he expects to recover swiftly, he acknowledged the need to exercise care. “I don’t have trouble recovering or coming back,” says Stroman, “but this is something that needs to feel 100% before I can go back and move full speed.”

Fortunately, Stroman is still able to work off of the mound. That should help him stay stretched out while he awaits a clean MRI. Given the short length of the season, it’ll obviously be important both to get back as soon as possible and to avoid a setback that leads to a lengthier absence.

Marcus Stroman “Week To Week” With Calf Injury

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The Mets announced that they’ve placed right-handers Marcus Stroman and Robert Gsellman on the injured list. Stroman, who was said to be experiencing tightness in his calf earlier today, has been now diagnosed with a tear of some extent in that ailing calf muscles. Gsellman is experiencing some discomfort in his right triceps.

The IL placement for Stroman and the announced muscle tear are more ominous than this afternoon’s report of mere tightness in his calf. It should be noted that even a Grade 1 strain indicates some stretching or minor tearing, so it’s still possible that his absence won’t be substantial. Manager Luis Rojas tells reporters that Stroman will not require surgery (Twitter link via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com), but the skipper also referred to Stroman’s injury as a “week to week” situation, which isn’t a great outlook in a season that’ll barely span nine weeks from start to finish.

The loss of Stroman is a brutal hit for the Mets, who were already without right-hander Noah Syndergaard for the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. Two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom will still head up the team’s rotation, but he’ll now be followed by Steven Matz, Rick Porcello, Michael Wacha and a to-be-determined fifth starter. Non-roster veteran Erasmo Ramirez could be one option, and 2017 first-round pick David Peterson is also in the Mets’ player pool. Right-hander Walker Lockett was placed on the IL this week with a back injury.

On a personal level for Stroman, the injury is about as poorly timed as possible. Already facing a shortened platform season prior to his first foray into free agency this winter, missing multiple weeks could give Stroman fewer than 10 starts to demonstrate his health and effectiveness for interested clubs. Given the potential for teams to be stingier than usual on mid-range free agents following this year’s revenue losses, the calf issue could prove particularly costly for Stroman, who posted a 3.22 ERA with better than a strikeout per inning in 184 1/3 frames last year.

As for Gsellman, it seems there’s lesser concern. DiComo tweets that his IL stint is expected to be back-dated the maximum three days, and a return to the bullpen in early August doesn’t appear to be out of the question. In two years since converting to full-time relief role, the now-27-year-old Gsellman has a 4.45 ERA with 8.1 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 in 143 2/3 innings.

Marcus Stroman Could Miss First Scheduled Start

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As the Mets join the rest of the league’s thirty teams at the starting blocks, they’re waiting to see whether a key arm will be with them from the jump. Starter Marcus Stroman has experienced calf tightness that could prevent him from taking his anticipated turn in the rotation, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo was among those to report on Twitter.

The Mets haven’t yet committed to a decision on Stroman, with skipper Luis Rojas indicating that the righty is considered day to day at the moment. Even if Stroman is held back a bit, the team may wish not to place him on the 15-day injured list. That’d mean missing nearly a quarter of the truncated season.

Stroman is of central importance to a Mets staff that will go without Zack Wheeler (free agency) and Noah Syndergaard (Tommy John surgery) in 2020. There’s still plenty of talent in the rotation mix, but the loss of those two prominent righties has cast Stroman in an even brighter light.

Last year, Stroman turned in 184 1/3 innings of 3.22 ERA pitching over 32 starts, the final eleven of which came following a trade to his native New York. If he can provide anything close to that kind of output in 2020 — or, at least, match the 3.77 ERA he posted with the Mets — then Stroman could help put the club over the edge in what’s likely to be a closely fought postseason race. He’s also pitching to set himself up for his first trip onto the open market at season’s end.

It doesn’t sound as if there’s any reason for major concern here. But the situation highlights the delicate balance that teams will face. On the one hand, the Mets will want to get Stroman on the mound as soon as possible in order to maximize his impact. On the other hand, pushing too hard and suffering a setback could easily wipe out much of the campaign.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Mets end up handling pitching assignments if Stroman is kept on ice for a bit. With Walker Lockett already sidelined, the team could turn to an alternative such as Corey Oswalt. It might also seek to utilize Oswalt, Erasmo Ramirez, Stephen Gonsalves, and/or other starter-capable pitchers in some kind of piggyback arrangement. Most intriguing, perhaps, is the idea of bumping prospect David Peterson, though that would mean starting his service clock and clearing a 40-man roster spot.

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