Blue Jays: Several vets that shouldn’t be traded at lowest value

Marcus Stroman

This one feels a little weird, mostly because Stroman still feels like a very young man to me, and could absolutely fit as part of the next generation in Toronto. That said, the talented right-hander only has two years of club control remaining, which could lead to the front office being open to moving on from the “Stro Show”, even if they will need starting pitching next season.

There will be plenty of GMs around the game that will be looking for a buy-low/bounce back candidate, and Stroman has as good a chance as anyone to be  just that. He was brutal by his standards this past year, making just 19 starts around shoulder and blister issues, and pitching to 5.54 ERA in just 102.1 innings. When you consider that he topped 200 innings the two previous seasons and posted a 3.09 ERA in 2017, it was disappointing to say the least.

There’s a good chance that at least one team will come to the Blue Jays with a tempting offer for Stroman, but right now the best thing to do would be to let him enter the 2019 season in Toronto, and really show how valuable he actually is. Last season’s numbers don’t reflect what he’s capable of, or who he is, and it would be a shame to see him traded at such a low point of value.

It would also be a shame to see him traded at all if you ask me, so in my mind the idea of moving him this winter should be pretty much off the table. Unless someone comes along and is willing to offer a return that reflects the pitcher he was in 2017, I don’t see Stroman going anywhere any time soon, or maybe at all. And if the Blue Jays do decide to make him available, I hope they keep in mind that the potential return on a (possible) frontline starter with a 1.5 seasons left will be greater than how he’s perceived right now, even with two full years of contract control.