Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
With the conclusion of the 2021 season on the horizon, the New York Mets will soon embark on one of the most important offseasons in recent memory. Speculation will continue about who team owner Steve Cohen will bring in as the next President of Baseball Operations, with Sandy Alderson set to return to his role as team president with a focus on the business aspect of the organization.
No matter which direction they decide to go, bringing back Marcus Stroman should be one of the team’s top priorities. Currently, the Mets and Stroman have not held any negotiations regarding a contract that extends beyond this season. The source is Stroman himself, who said as much on Twitter:
No negotiations at all but thank you my man! Appreciate your support!
— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) September 27, 2021
After accepting the qualifying offer of $18.9 million coming into the 2021 season, Stroman is set to become a free agent again this winter, joining a short list of elite starting pitching options who are also going to be hitting the open market. Proving himself as a dependable option in the rotation, Stroman is expected to command an average annual value north of $20 million per season.
Since being acquired by the Mets in 2019, Stroman has undoubtedly become one of New York’s most reliable hurlers. After posting a second consecutive season of 32-plus starts with an ERA below 3.25, Stroman joins a short list of starters who display a high level of consistency and longevity. Despite his 9-13 record, no pitcher across Major League Baseball has more starts with 0-2 runs of support than Stroman (16). More importantly, in those games when he’s received little run support, Stroman maintains an impressive 3.54 ERA.
After opting out of the 2020 season, some questioned how durable Stroman would be this year. With two more scheduled starts on tap, the right-hander will become the only pitcher across MLB with 34 starts. The Mets’ rotation has a number of questions heading into the winter, including Jacob DeGrom‘s health and Carlos Carasco‘s effectiveness. Bringing back Stroman would bolster this area of the roster and provide a durable veteran presence moving forward as the team seeks to fulfill its championship aspirations.
