Blue Jays: Who deserves the nod as the All-Star representative?

Marcus Stroman

He might be the most frequent subject of trade rumours around the team, but that’s because Marcus Stroman is having a strong 2019 campaign.

It’s been good to see after he struggled with shoulder and blister issues last year, as he’s bounced back and proven that he’s the best pitcher in this team’s rotation right now, and someone who is capable of being a top of the rotation arm. With 1.5 seasons before he’ll be a free agent, it shouldn’t be a surprise that there are a lot of interested suitors if the Blue Jays do ultimately make him available on the trade block.

If that goes down, hopefully he’ll hang around in Toronto long enough to make an All-Star appearance in a Blue Jays’ jersey, assuming he’s the one that gets selected for the honour. He has finished 8th in Cy Young voting in the past and has been honoured with a Gold Glove award, but this would be his first All-Star selection if he were chosen. It would be a shame if he were in another jersey if that happens.

He’s already been worth 2.5bWAR on this season, posting a 3.04 ERA and a 1.252 WHIP through 17 starts. He was red-hot to start the year and then had a few rough outings that bloated his numbers a bit, but overall he’s been by far the Blue Jays’ most reliable and consistent starting pitcher. In a season when their rotation has been decimated by injuries, he’s been a crucial leader for Charlie Montoyo in his first season as the skipper.

Whether or not that translates into an All-Star appearance remains to be seen, but Stroman is probably as worthy as anyone on the team right now, especially if you look at the first half as a whole. It’s hard to think about where they would be without him, which is why the idea of trading him is a tough pill to swallow, even in an obvious rebuilding year.