Stroman says ‘season is not looking promising’ after MLB’s opening economic proposal
NEW YORK — Marcus Stroman, the Mets’ thirdhighest paid player, is uncertain there will be any baseball played this year.
The right-handed pitcher tweeted his concerns Tuesday after Major League Baseball formally presented to the Players Association its economic and healthand-safety proposals for players - the first step to potentially playing baseball this summer.
Under the league-suggested financial proposal, all major league players would receive pay cuts based on a sliding scale: the highest-paid players would lose the most money and take the biggest pay cut, while the lowest-paid players would remain closer to whole and keep almost all of their guaranteed money, sources told the Daily News.
“This season is not looking promising,” Stroman said in a tweet. “Keeping the mind and body ready regardless. Time to dive into some life-after-baseball projects. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Brighter times remain ahead!”
Like Stroman, a chorus of players were reportedly “very disappointed” with the league’s first economic proposal to play baseball amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The players’ union already agreed in March to pro-rate their existing salaries based on games that remained on the calendar in 2020. The league’s opening salvo deviated from a 50-50 revenue-sharing split — a system that’s similar to a salary cap and, for years, has been a non-starter for the players’ union.
MLB wants to get the season underway by early July, with a three-week
“spring training” period kicking off in mid-June. That gives the league and union about a week to continue negotiations and come to an agreement.
Stroman, 29, signed a one-year, $12 million deal with the Mets last July and becomes a free agent after
2020, with or without a baseball season. Under the league’s proposed 82-game schedule and Tuesday’s economic outline, Stroman would make around $3 million, according to an estimate by ESPN, making for a 75% pay cut this year.
Other Mets players in line for substantial pay cuts under the league’s proposed plan include Robinson Cano
($24 million), Jacob deGrom
($23 million), Jeurys Familia
($11 million), Dellin Betances ($15.5 million), Jed Lowrie
($10 million) and Rick Porcello ($10 million). Players at the other end of the spectrum, like Pete Alonso
($652,521), Jeff McNeil
($617,676) and J.D. Davis
($592,463) would be, for the most part, financially unaffected. A minimum-salaried player making $563,500 would receive $262,000, according to The Athletic.
Stroman responded to a fan asking if this could be his last season pitching for the Mets by tweeting, “Very possible. No clue if they’ll want to extend me. Just have to wait and see how it all plays out!”
One reason it’s “very possible” Stroman’s shortlived Mets career could be coming to an end: his 2021 free-agency class. The 29year-old will join unrestricted free agents like Yankees’ starters Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton, Reds’ right-hander Trevor Bauer, Diamondbacks’ southpaw Robbie Ray and others. The class could get even deeper if clubs decline options on Cy Young winners Jake Arrieta (Phillies) and Corey Kluber (Rangers).
“The free agent (starting pitching) is extremely thin next year and I’m at the top of the list with a few others,” Stroman said in a tweet. “Being an established SP in this game isn’t easy and quality SP is always a huge necessity. Regardless, life is amazing however it plays out!”
The right-handed starter turned in one of his best seasons in 2019 - recording a 3.22 ERA (ranked 12th in the majors) across 32 combined starts for the Mets and Blue Jays. Stroman ranked fourth in the majors with a 54.7% ground ball rate and went 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA, striking out 35 batters, over his last six starts of the season.
Stroman later tweeted his desire to play baseball amid the coronavirus pandemic expressing hope that MLB and the players’ union can reach an agreement in time for a season in 2020.
“Praying that we get this figured out and back on the field soon,” he said in a tweet. “It’s hard to put into words how much I miss the game. Nothing compares to that feeling of excitement/ nausea when taking the mound. Been craving that. However, WE must all stay positive and keep good faith daily!”
Apart from reports about the players’ general disappointment, the union did not publicly comment on Tuesday’s economic proposal. The league, however, is standing by its approach for now.
“We made a proposal to the union that is completely consistent with the economic realities facing our sport,” MLB said in a statement. “We look forward to a responsive proposal from the MLBPA.”