Meet the new Met
JAYS SEND STRO’ TO FLUSHING
Marcus Stroman may have been expecting a trade to New York, but was likely as surprised as the rest of us when he landed with Mets.
Marcus Stroman is coming home to New York, but he will be a Met and not a Yankee.
The Amazin’s pulled off a stunning move on Sunday to bring the righthanded starter to Flushing from Toronto. Over the past several weeks, as the trade deadline approached — it officially arrives at 4 p.m. on Wednesday — Stroman was rumored to be a top target of the Yankees, who are desperate for starting pitching despite having the second-best record in baseball.
But after the deal was made official, it was Met GM Brodie Van Wagenen who was gushing over his new starting pitcher.
“Marcus is a dynamic talent who will bring tremendous passion to our team and energy our fans will truly appreciate,” Van Wagenen said. “As a Long Island native, we believe that Marcus will thrive playing in New York.”
The Mets are giving up pitching prospects Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson as part of Stroman deal.
Stroman is 6-11 this season with a 2.96 ERA, fifth best in the American League.
After completing a sweep of the Pirates this weekend, the Mets are 50-55, fourth in the National League East. They also have the fifth-worst ERA in the NL, at 4.54. But the Amazin’s are 9-5 in the second half of the season, and earlier on Sunday, manager Mickey Callaway told reporters he believes Van Wagenen “understands that I know we can win now. He knows that we can win now.”
The Mets seem to be hoping Stroman can be the one to make that happen, but he may not be the only deal the Mets make before the deadline.
The entire 25-man roster was on the flight to Chicago for the Mets’ upcoming series against the White Sox. Seth Lugo is gaining late interest, according to sources outside the organization.
But for now, the focus is on Stroman, who just about openly campaigned for a spot with the Yankees. Before a June 24th game against the Bombers, Stroman told reporters that New York is the “Mecca of the world.”
“I love bright lights. I love the competition. I love pressure,” Stroman said.
Stroman’s trademark skill is forcing batters to pound his sinker into the dirt, with a career groundball rate that falls just below 60 percent. Beyond the diamond, Stroman flexes one of the most exuberant personalities in the league, an active social media user who has openly embraced the fame that comes with his career.
On July 14th, Stroman rolled into town and took the mound at the Stadium in what many thought was an audition for the Bombers. He pitched well that night, despite suffering his 10th loss of the season. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out seven in six innings. It was his 12th quality start of the year.
He has logged two more starts since then, going 1-1. Against the Tigers on July 19, Stroman went seven innings, struck out five and held Detroit scoreless in a 12-1 rout. When he took the mound against the Indians on July 24, he again went seven innings, fanning six batters while only allowing a single run on five hits. He only gave up one walk in the losing effort.
It is unceratin whether or not Stroman factors into the Mets’ long-term plans, and he is set to become a free agent after the 2020 season.
The Mets are believed to be interested in trading away Noah Syndergaard or Zack Wheeler (or both). Whether the acquisition of Stroman changes their approach remains to be seen.