The Stro Show comes without the theatrics
The Stro Show rolled into town Wednesday but the latest season has proven to be a lot more subdued than the one Blue Jays fans had grown accustomed to.
Marcus Stroman looks the same on the mound. He still uses up to six pitches while mixing speeds and angles to great effect. What the former first-round pick lacks in velocity, he makes up for by making hitters feel uncomfortable and keeping the ball on the ground.
That has always been his calling card. What seems noticeably different about this version is that a lot of the off-the-field antics Stroman became known for have disappeared. Through his first few weeks in a Yankees uniform, the once outspoken critic has gone incognito.
Stroman’s controversial presence on social media has vanished. A glance at his social media reveals little more than retweets of the Yankees’ account, his Height Doesn’t Measure Heart foundation and an occasional riveting one-liner such as “Good road trip with the squad.”
Gone are the tweets that lashed out at perceived adversaries. No longer does he chime in with his hot take on the topic of the day. His only reply to a fan on X this year was “Fire glove“to a picture of his once trademark blue leather.
The personal rebranding began during his final year with the Cubs. It could be a sign of maturity for the former product of Duke, who is now a 32-year-old father. Or, just as likely, it was intended to alleviate concerns teams had about his upcoming free agency.
It’s not exactly smart business to become a distraction. Following his public falling out with the Jays’ front office, and a litany of outspoken remarks that covered everything from targeting reporters to opposing players and fans, that’s what he often became.
The in-your-face approach wasn’t going to fly in the Bronx, where there are always a dozen or more reporters waiting to jump on the latest controversy. Whether his silence was a condition of his signing with the Yankees isn’t known, but the theatrics have been shelved for now.
“His preparation, his dedication to his body and his craft,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said when asked about his impressions of Stroman. “How he prepares five days leading up to his start. I’ve always kind of known from afar what kind of competitor he is between the lines and we have certainly borne witness to that.”
Say what you want about the person, but the pitcher has almost always been effective. Since making his debut in 2014, Stroman ranks second in the majors with a 57.5 per cent ground-ball rate and he has allowed the fourth-fewest home runs per nine innings at 0.82.
The only two outliers across a 10year career occurred in 2016, when Stroman posted a 4.37 ERA, and in 2018, when he put up a 5.54 ERA during an injury-shortened year with the Jays. Every other season he has been sub-4.00, and he’s at 3.63 for his career.
Aside from a misplaced sinker in the second inning that Daulton Varsho sent over the wall in right, he was equally effective against the Jays during his second visiting start at Rogers Centre. Stroman allowed just two runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts across 5 1/3 innings. He took a no-decision after the Yankees rallied with a four-run ninth to secure a 6-4 win.
“I’ve always felt comfortable in Toronto,” Stroman said after his team avoided getting swept. “I love this city. I spent a lot of time here. Very grateful for the fans, very grateful for the crowd. Nothing but positive things to say about Canada.”
When Stroman signed a two-year deal with the Yankees in January, the expectation from this corner was that his presence in the Bronx would turn into a gong show. Instead, the former Jay is letting his pitching do the talking and the Yankees are better off because of it. Maybe in the future, his wallet will be, too.