New York Mets’ right-hander Marcus Stroman is notorious for his strong work ethic, impenetrable self-assuredness, and his unwavering dedication to perfecting his craft. The Medford, Long Island native’s mindset has not changed heading into his first full season in Flushing.
Following his trade from Toronto last July (sending prospects Simeon Woods Richardson and Anthony Kay to the Jays), there was a brief adjustment period, but Stroman ended the year on an extremely solid note.
From August 3 (his first start with New York) through September 7 (his seventh), Stroman pitched to a 5.05 ERA (4.87 FIP), allowing seven home runs while striking out 37 (9.37 K/9) and walking 14 (3.53 BB/9) over 35.2 innings.
This was a bit disappointing considering he carried a 2.96 ERA with him from Toronto, but things picked up considerably over his final four starts. Over 24 innings of work, Stroman struck out 23, walked nine, and allowed just one homer.
His 1.88 ERA (3.09 FIP) over that span surely sent the young righty into the winter with big plans and the Mets’ fan base into a daydream, thinking about the possibilities this season.
With a strong staff around him in Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, and Rick Porcello, Stroman’s consistency in the third rotational slot could take this group from formidable to downright scary.
A quick scroll through Stroman’s Twitter feed is proof-positive that there’s actually no offseason for the 2019 American League All-Star.
Whether he’s working on strengthening his core, performing outside-the-box balance techniques on the mound, or reading motivational literature, the grind truly never stops for Stro. And he appears more than ready to start reaping the rewards of all that hard work.
Speaking from the team’s training facilities in Port St. Lucie on Thursday, the 28-year-old made it perfectly clear what his personal goals are for the 2020 season, as well as where he expects the Mets to stand.
“To be honest with you, my confidence never wavers, ever. I think I’m the best on the field whenever I’m out there, always,” Stroman said. “That’s how I was raised from my father and that’s how I’ll continue to be. Confidence stays the same, no matter what.”
“I’m excited for this year. I think I’m gonna be good — really good. I think I should be dominant. I put in a lot of work in the offseason,” he told reporters. “My stuff is moving all over the place, so I’m excited to go out there and compete with the team that we have, which is pretty incredible.”
Between the roster depth, the starting five’s potential to shine, and the Mets’ four-headed beast of a bullpen, things are certainly looking up down in PSL.
Stroman’s — and the team’s — main goal, of course, is to bring a World Series title home to Queens, which the right-hander intimated (“I want to win a championship”), before listing a few of his own personal goals for the upcoming season.
“I know what I’m gonna go out there and do, to be honest with you. Two-hundred innings is always kinda my goal (204 IP and 201 IP in 2016 and 2017, respectively; 184.1 IP last season) in my head,” Stroman said. “I truly believe if you go out there and throw 200-plus innings everything kinda takes care of itself.”
“I’m excited to strike more guys out this year (159 K last season; career-high 166 K in 2016). I’m just excited to play,” he said. “I put so much work in this offseason. Now this time is just going out and having fun so I can’t wait to get out there.”
We’re getting antsy, too.
