There was good reasoning behind Mets dealing for Stroman
Marcus Stroman being traded from one noncontender to another wasn’t exactly the blockbuster deal anyone expected as the July 31 trade deadline drew near.
The Toronto Blue Jays should have had a number of suitors for a healthy 28-year-old starting pitcher who was the MVP of the 2017 World Baseball Classic and who just made the 2019 American League all-star team.
Instead, Stroman was shipped to the New York Mets for a pair of minor-league pitchers, neither of whom are among the consensus top 100 overall prospects.
So let’s see if we can figure out exactly what is going on here.
First of all, the Mets — despite constant ridicule from their many critics — actually made a good baseball trade.
Stroman only has a career record of 47-45, but he’s a fierce competitor who’s posted a solid 3.76 ERA in six seasons pitching in the brutal AL East. This year, he’s been even better, with a 2.96 ERA that’s fifth-lowest in the league. He’s also won a Gold Glove for his fielding.
Adding him may not propel the Mets to the playoffs the way it might have with another team but, if things don’t work out, they still have the Long Island native in the rotation next season.
Stroman is eligible for arbitration this winter before he becomes a free agent at the end of the 2020 season. And they still have the option of flipping him for prospects before then.
In addition, the Mets did not finish trading there. Stroman gave them six starters in their rotation — ace Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler and Jason Vargas. They dealt Vargas on Monday to the Philadelphia Phillies for double-A catcher Austin Bossart. So, Stroman serves as a replacement this season and next. And they’ve already stated their willingness to deal Syndergaard (to the San Diego Padres, perhaps?) if the price is right.
Another stealthy reason the Mets can benefit by acquiring Stroman: It takes one of the big-name starters off the market — and, in turn, makes those remaining more valuable. So, if they want to move Syndergaard, or perhaps Wheeler, they’ve just reduced the number of options for the other teams looking to acquire starting pitchers.
Yes, first-year general manager Brodie Van Wagenen doesn’t exactly have a stellar record with his personnel moves so far in his tenure. And acquiring Stroman does deplete the Mets’ admittedly weak farm system even further.
Even if they’re a long way from contending, the best way to improve a team is by getting better incrementally.