Blue Jays could look at dealing Marcus Stroman this offseason

According to Jon Morosi in a guest spot last week, there is a 50/50 chance that Marcus Stroman could be dealt this Winter.

According to multiple sources, Marcus Stroman gathered trade interest before the non-waiver trade deadline. The Braves and Cubs reportedly checked in on the Duke University product, and he might be garnering trade interest this winter as well if the Blue Jays are willing to discuss it.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, who joined Sportsnet to discuss all kinds of things about the Blue Jays, “I think there is a … probably a 50/50 chance he’s dealt this offseason based on where their conversations were at the deadline this year, and where the need is for pitching around the game.”

If Stroman was made available this winter by the Blue Jays, he would be one of the biggest names available on the pitching market. He is eligible for arbitration over the next two seasons before becoming a free agent before the 2021 season.

“I think there is a … probably a 50/50 chance he’s dealt this offseason based on where their conversations were at the deadline this year, and where the need is for pitching around the game.”

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A comparable pitcher to Stroman would be Chris Archer. Archer was traded from the Rays to the Pirates at this year’s trade deadline and the Rays got a very impressive haul in return. Pittsburgh received Chris Archer to bolster their rotation in the immediate and near future, while Tampa Bay received pitcher Tyler Glasnow, outfielder Austin Meadows, and a PTBNL. That PTBNL was announced yesterday – the Pirates also sent away their #1 pitching prospect Shane Baz as that PTBNL. If Stroman can pitch like he did last year for the remainder of the season, the Blue Jays can hope to receive a similar package to this one.

Last year’s AL Gold Glove winner has had a rough season with injuries. It all started with right shoulder fatigue in Spring Training, which pushed back his first start of the season. After dealing with that for a couple of months, Stroman finally looks like he’s returning to his normal self – although he is now dealing with blister problems on his pitching hand.

Due to the fact that Stroman hasn’t been his best this season, I think the Blue Jays shouldn’t trade him this offseason. He hasn’t been as good as he can be, which means the Blue Jays wouldn’t receive a top dollar return. Stroman is only 27 years old, and is under contract for the next couple years. If the Blue Jays plan on being a top tier team by 2020, Stroman could be a big factor in that, and I believe in would be smart to keep him.