marcus stroman

The Mets are facing a lot of competition for Marcus Stroman’s services

by
New York Yankees, New York Mets, Marcus Stroman

The New York Mets badly need to add at least two or three top-tier pieces to their rotation during the offseason. Their overall depth has been severely hit by injuries and free agency: Noah Syndergaard unexpectedly signed with the Los Angeles Angels, Rich Hill and Marcus Stroman are free agents, and there aren’t any assurances about the health of Jacob deGrom’s elbow. In addition, Joey Lucchesi won’t be available in 2022 as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery.

The situation has created a severe need for pitching in the Mets’ organization. In particular, New York should do whatever it takes to re-sign Stroman, as he showed this past season that, with the added split-change to his repertoire, his ceiling is higher than it used to be.

In 2021, Stroman started 33 games and pitched 179.0 innings. His ERA was 3.02, his FIP 3.49, and he finished with 3.4 Wins Above Replacement, or WAR. He already played last season under the qualifying offer for the Mets, so he is not eligible to do so again.

Several clubs are interested in the Mets’ righty

The problem with re-signing Stroman is that the Mets are facing a lot of competition, which could ultimately end up driving the price up. According to Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors, at least five teams are interested in the right-hander: the Boston Red Sox, the San Francisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Angels, and incumbent Mets.

Additionally, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com, the Seattle Mariners could be another potential suitor for Stroman.

The Mets recently bid for Steven Matz, who pitched all of his career, except for the 2021 season, with them. However, they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.

At the moment, deGrom, Carlos Carrasco, Taijuan Walker, David Peterson, and Tylor Megill are all the Mets have as far as starters concern.

The offseason is still young, but pitching appears to moving off the market quickly. The Mets need to act now if they don’t want to see all their options disappear.

Yankees News: Marcus Stroman attacks Yankee fans on Twitter, Aaron Hicks injury update

by
yankees, New York Mets, Marcus Stroman

The New York Yankees have their focus set on free agency this off-season, but Mets starter Marcus Stroman continues to take shots at the team and their management style. On Tuesday, Stroman went after a few fans on Twitter and responded to Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker that he prefers to wear durags, dreads, and tattoos, a silent shot at the Yankees for their strict rules.

Stroman responded to several fans who shot back at the starter, and his words weren’t exactly civil.

You mad because that crazy payroll continues to let you down year after year? Get off my page and go communicate with the front office bitter boy.

Stroman spoke specifically about the Yankees’ payroll and how their ability to pay players monstrous deals hasn’t translated to wins. I hate to say it, but he isn’t wrong about that, considering the team hasn’t reached the World Series in over a decade despite having one of the highest payrolls in baseball year after year.

Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009. They routinely spend more than any other team and acquire the biggest names at every trade deadline. The way the spend and players they get should result in much more success than they’ve had…you don’t agree?
Brian Cashman and Stroman don’t exactly have the best history, which is why this exchange isn’t exactly surprising. Stroman is currently a free agent but could find his way back to Queens on an extension.

Aaron Hicks injury update:

Skipper Aaron Boone stated on Tuesday that Hicks could be in line to play Winter Ball if his left wrist continues to heal at a brisk pace:

“He’s in position to do that,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “As a matter of fact, he sent me some video of him in the cage the other day swinging and he feels great. I think he looks great and we’ll just see where we are in the next few weeks about the final sign-off on that.”

Hicks played in just 32 games this past season, recording a career-low .194 average. Offensively, Hicks hasn’t been very sturdy the past few years, but he offers a switch-hitting option that adds plenty of diversity to the batting order. In 2020, he recorded a career-high 19.4% walk rate, a tremendous number that indicates his patience at the plate. There is no doubt that Hicks has a solid eye, working up the pitch count and helping get starters out of the game prematurely. However, he hasn’t been reliable with his health, suffering a left wrist injury that forced him out for virtually the entire year.
The Yankees expect to have him available for 2022, but management made it apparent they are still looking for centerfield talent just in case they need a supplement. The team has Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Joey Gallo on the roster, so there is a solid chance Judge shits over to centerfield if Gallo isn’t included in a trade.

Mets Game Preview (9/21/21) vs. Miami Marlins (86-65)

by

After receiving a day off, the New York Mets head up to Fenway Park to begin a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox. The Mets playoffs hopes are hanging on by a thread, and their trip to Boston could be what finally puts them and their fans out of their misery.

One-run games have been the theme of the Mets season as 61 of their 150 games have concluded in that fashion. While they dominated them early in the season, they have consistently fallen short has the offense produced less and less. After a slow, injury-plagued start to his Mets career, Javier Baez has been a different hitter since returning from the IL. Baez is slashing .305/.381/.565 with nine home runs and 19 runs batted in. He also has 11 walks in 37 games compared to just 15 in 91 games with the Cubs.

After a slow stretch that knocked them out of first place, the Red Sox have won five straight games. With the division out of reach, the Red Sox has a 1.5 game lead in the first wild card spot and looked primed for a playoff run. Five players with at least 20 home runs have helped lead their offense which has been one of the best in baseball. Nathan Eovaldi has stabilized the starting rotation enough for Chris Sale to return and take the reigns. In six starts, Sale has a 2.40 ERA along with a clean 4-0 record.

Pitching Matchup

Marcus Stroman makes his MLB leading 32nd start of the season and has been a true ironman for a team that has dealt with injuries all season. While he is unlikely to win the Cy Young Award, he certainly deserves some votes thrown his way. Stroman has a 2.88 ERA over 169 innings and is ninth in groundball outs this season. He was as great as ever during his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he struck out eight while allowing two runs in six innings pitched.

Eduardo Rodriguez has struggled to find consistency all season, and it shows in his 5.00 ERA. Despite putting up his best strikeout and walk rates of his career, he is allowing just under ten hits per nine innings pitched. Rodriguez has also put together back-to-back six-inning outings just twice all season. He looked much better in his last start against the Seattle Mariners, where he held them to one run in six innings with six strikeouts.

Matchups To Lookout For

Marcus Stroman vs. Xander Bogaerts: 11-for-36 (.306), 2 Doubles, 2 Home Runs, 2 Walks, 8 Strikeouts

Marcus Stroman vs. Christian Vazquez: 7-for-19 (.368), Double, Walk, 3 Strikeouts

Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Francisco Lindor: 2-for-11 (.182)

Mets Game Preview (8/22/21) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (78-46)

by

The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers play the final game of their four-game weekend series as the Mets look to avoid a sweep. While the weather is ugly on the east coast, the weather in Los Angeles is a typical 72 degrees and sunny. The first pitch from Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. as the Mets finish off their road trip.

The big question surrounding Sunday’s finale is whether Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez will be activated off the IL and immediately inserted into the lineup. As of 2:10 p.m. ET, the Mets have not released their starting lineup, which means both will be game-time decisions. It has been clear the Mets lack energy on the field, and any production from their bats will be welcomed with open arms.

The Dodgers have found ways to be a little bit better than the Mets throughout their season series. Outside of their 14-4 blowout, every game has been a close, down to the wire matchup. The difference is the Dodgers’ ability to wear pitchers down on offense to get clutch hits and their abundance of home runs. The Dodgers have clubbed ten homers against the Mets while the Mets have just four, and Pete Alonso has half.

Pitching Matchup

Marcus Stroman continues his amazing 2021 campaign after his gutsy outing against the San Francisco Giants. Stroman battled through seven innings, allowing three runs, struck out nine, and threw a season-high 114 pitches. He has been the most consistent Mets starter with a 2.84 ERA and leads the team with 139.1 innings pitched. Stroman may not win the Cy Young but is certainly putting himself in a position to earn a few votes.

Former Cy Young winner David Price takes the mound and is back in the starting rotation after starting the season in the bullpen. The change of roles has not deterred Price as he finds ways to put together solid outings. In 31 outings (10 starts), Price has a 3.62 ERA in 59.2 innings pitched. In his last start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he pitched 4.2 innings and allowed two runs. Price should not last long as he only has two outings of five innings or more and has one outing above 70 pitches.

Matchups To Lookout For

Marcus Stroman vs. Albert Pujols: 5-for-14 (.357), Double, Walk, 2 Strikeouts

David Price vs. Kevin Pillar: 3-for-22 (.136), Double, Home Run, Walk, 8 Strikeouts

David Price vs. Jonathan Villar: 4-for-21 (.190), 4 Strikeouts

Mets Comeback Falls Short and Losing Streak is Five After 3-2 Loss

by

These days it almost seems like the New York Mets are losing before the game even starts. The San Francisco Giants came just about as close as a team can in game two of their series. It took just two batters in the bottom of the first for the Giants to get themselves a lead, and it became one they never looked back on. The Mets were no match for Logan Webb and fell to the Giants, 3-2.

LaMonte Wade and Tommy La Stella started on the bench for game one of the series against a lefty, but Giants manager Gabe Kapler had them back in the lineup for game two. Sure enough, they batted first and second and got things going early for the Giants. Wade led off with a single, and La Stella blasted a two-run homer to get an early 2-0 lead against Marcus Stroman.

Bookended Start

Stroman’s start was marked with a rough beginning and a bitter ending. After the home run in the first inning, Stroman slowly settled into a groove throughout his start. Evan Longoria tagged Stroman for a solo home run in the seventh inning when the Mets tried to stretch him out for another inning. Overall it was a solid start as Stroman went seven innings, allowing three runs and striking out a season-high nine batters on 114 pitches.

Unfortunately, it was more of the same for the Mets offense against Giants starter Logan Webb. He was red hot coming into his start and shut out the Mets for 7.1 innings before allowing a Pete Alonso two-run home run to make it a 3-2 game. Webb struck out eight in the start and had a very efficient 83 pitches before leaving the game.

The Mets had an opportunity to tie the game with a runner on second and two outs in the ninth inning. Kevin Pillar ended up striking out looking on three straight to extend the losing streak to five. Travis Blankenhorn was a left-handed option to face Dominic Leone, but manager Luis Rojas trusted Pillar. The Mets were 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six on base.

The loss put the Mets under .500 for the first time since May 5 and 4.5 games out of first place in the NL East. They will try to avoid the sweep on Wednesday as Tylor Megill takes the mound against Anthony DeSclafani for a 3:45 p.m. ET start from Oracle Park.

Mets Game Preview (8/17/21) @ San Francisco Giants (77-42)

by

The New York Mets and San Francisco Giants matchup for game two of their series while the Mets look to avoid their fifth consecutive loss. Game two has a great pitching matchup lined up as runs should be at a premium tonight. The first pitch from San Francisco is scheduled for another 9:45 p.m. ET start from Oracle Park.

The Mets’ ability to score runs despite failing to get hits with runners in scoring position has become broken all logic. Pete Alonso‘s two-run triple was the only hit the Mets had with runners in scoring position, but the Mets still found a way to put up five runs. They recorded 10 hits but left nine runners on base and continues to make us question how good they could be if they could get multiple clutch hits.

Yesterday’s win was a perfect example of the way Gabe Kapler has managed his first-place Giants. Kapler used five of his six bench players and five relievers after Kevin Gausman‘s solid outing. He looks for every possible matchup and advantage he can squeeze out, and his players have executed far more times than they have not this season. It also helps when Kris Bryant tattooed two home runs as well. Bryant reminded the Mets of what they were missing when they decided to look elsewhere at the trade deadline.

Pitching Matchup

Marcus Stroman gets the start for the Mets and attempts to put an end to the losing streak. In his last start against the Washington Nationals, Stroman battled through 5.1 innings, allowing just one run and tying a season-high with eight strikeouts. This is an interesting matchup because of Stroman’s groundball prowess against the Giants’ high-powered home run offense.

Logan Webb is the Giants starter and has pitched like an ace since returning from the IL. In seven starts since returning, he has a 1.75 ERA, .195 average against, and 36 strikeouts in the same amount of innings. Webb was terrific in his last outing, shutting out the Colorado Rockies and holding them to three hits in six innings. He has pitched at least six innings in each of his last four starts.

Matchup To Lookout For

Marcus Stroman vs. Evan Longoria: 9-for-33 (.273), 2 Doubles, 2 Home Runs, 2 Walks, 7 Strikeouts

Mets Game(s) Preview (7/26/21) vs. Atlanta Braves (48-50)

by

The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves begin a critical five-game series with a doubleheader starting today. As the trade deadline approaches, this series could clarify the type of moves each team needs to make this week. The first pitch of the seven-inning twi-night doubleheader is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. ET.

The Mets took two out of three from the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend and kept a four-game lead in the NL East. Pete Alonso led the way in the series with three home runs and is in the middle of a nine-game hitting streak. During the hot streak, Alonso is slashing .368/.442/.789 with five home runs and ten runs batted in. Jeff McNeil should see his way back into the lineup for the doubleheader after pinch-hitting in Sunday’s win. McNeil delivered a two-run double, which gave the Mets the lead in the sixth inning.

The Braves come off a series split with the Philadelphia Phillies and sit four games behind the Mets. After Ronald Acuna Jr.’s season-ending injury, the Braves have not rebounded to charge up the standings. With the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers destined to play in the wild card game, the Braves’ only hope is to win the division. Should they lose the series to the Mets, they may become sellers.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1

Marcus Stroman takes the mound for the Mets and was stellar in his last outing. He threw eight shutout innings, allowing just one hit, and struck out seven against the Cincinnati Reds. The Mets will need Stroman to go deep in the game once again with the uncertainty of their starting rotation for the rest of the week. Stroman’s 2.59 ERA is the 10th best in all of baseball.

Kyle Muller starts for the Braves and has managed to survive in the Braves rotation. He has only gone deeper than five innings in one of his outings but has only allowed more than two runs once. In his start against the Mets earlier this season, Muller pitched four no-hit innings, allowing one run on two walks.

Game 2 

The Mets will likely use a bullpen game in game two as they have no options for a regular starter.

Bryse Wilson gets the start for the Braves in game two and is making his first start in the big leagues since June 20. In two doubleheader starts this season, Wilson has pitched four innings in each start and combined to allow eight runs. Wilson typically throws plenty of strikes, but this has resulted in seven home runs allowed in just 28.2 innings pitched.

Matchup To Lookout For

Marcus Stroman vs. Ozzie Albies: 4-for-10 (.400), Strikeout

Mets Finally Get An Easy Win in 7-0, One-Hit Victory Over Reds

by

In two of the last three games, the New York Mets failed to get multiple innings out of their starting pitcher, and Marcus Stroman gave them the length they desperately needed. Stroman pitched eight dominant innings, holding the Cincinnati Reds to just one hit on the day. It gave Luis Rojas a nice welcome as he returned from his two-game suspension and led the Mets to a 7-0 win.

Stroman had struggled over his last handful of starts but was masterful and efficient from the start. He struck out seven over his eight shutout innings and needed just 90 pitches. Stroman’s sinker/slider combination kept Reds hitters flailing and making weak contact, resulting in nine groundouts. Jeurys Familia finished the one-hit shutout by striking out the side in the ninth inning.

Since the second half started, the Mets offense has found the life it did not have for the first half. All of the seven runs the Mets scored came on home runs. Jonathan Villar opened up the scoring with a second-inning solo homer, and Dominic Smith‘s grand slam in the following inning gave the Mets a 5-0 lead. Luis Guillorme‘s first home run of the season made it a 7-0 game, which was more than enough for Stroman. Only one starting position player failed to record a hit in the series finale.

The win was their 50th of the season pushes the Mets back to over .500 in July. It also guarantees the Mets keep at least a 2.5 game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Despite getting a whole week to rest for the All-Star Break, they get a much-needed day off on Thursday. When they return to Citi Field, they welcome the Toronto Blue Jays into Queens. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

 

Six-Run Seventh Inning Propels Mets to 10-5 Win Over Yankees

by

The New York Mets offense was dead in the water heading into Yankee Stadium, but New York Yankees pitching has revived them. Their overpriced combination of Gerrit Cole and Aroldis Chapman struggled mightily once again as the Mets pulled off a gutsy 10-5 win.

The Mets should also thank Yankees manager Aaron Boone for pulling Chad Green after just two pitches for Chapman. He ended up allowing a leadoff home run on a questionable slider after three straight fastballs. Jose Peraza gave the Mets a lead with his fan interference double, Brandon Nimmo added two more, and Francisco Lindor finished it with another single.

Stroman looked like he would have another terrific start after an 11-pitch first inning. Lindor’s botched double play led to a three-run second inning which gave momentum to a dead offense. The Mets tried to nurse Stroman through one more inning, but a shrinking strike zone and a wild pitch gave the Yankees the final run they needed. Stroman finished with five innings pitched, five runs (three earned), and failed to record a strikeout.

Get The Sticky Tack

Cole struggled once again without the use of Spider Tack on the baseball. Dominic Smith stayed hot with a first-inning, short porch home run off Cole’s curveball. He worked through tough jams in the second and third inning but completely fell off the rails. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Tomas Nido, who made it a 4-2 game with his single. After a strikeout, Nimmo’s single made it a one-run game, and Lindor tied it with his own single. They went silent on offense until their huge seventh inning.

The win was the team-oriented win they have been searching for and allowed them to extend their division lead. Game two of the doubleheader is at 7:08 p.m. ET, where Corey Oswalt will face Nestor Cortes from Yankee Stadium.

Wheeler Makes It Looks Easy in Phillies 4-2 Win Over Mets

by

The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies faced offensive issues throughout the series, with four being the magic total. The Phillies bullpen cost them a potential sweep of the series, but they had enough of a cushion to leave with a split, winning 4-2.

Zack Wheeler was coming off his worse start of the season and rebounded at the place where his career began. He pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out six. The win was Wheeler’s 20th career win in 63 career starts at Citi Field.

Marcus Stroman usually enjoys pitching at home but was not at his best as he only lasted three innings. Stroman was pitching with a heavy heart after his grandmother passed away a few days ago. He allowed four runs (two earned), five hits, and three strikeouts. Despite the rough start, the bullpen picked him up once he left the game. Corey Oswalt pitched four shutout innings, and Drew Smith threw two shutout innings, which kept the Mets alive.

The Mets made numerous comebacks against the Phillies and had six outs to manufacture four runs. Unfortunately, the deficit was too much as all they managed was a Pete Alonso single, and Kevin Pillar‘s home run gave them a run in the eighth and ninth inning. While the Mets managed seven hits, Wheeler’s dominance was made it impossible for them to mount and legitimate rallies.

With the loss, the Mets NL East lead drops to four games as they head to Washington to face the second-place Nationals. It will be a one-game stop with Jerad Eickhoff making his second start against an unknown starter for the Nats.