REPORT: Cubs Having Serious Discussions With Free Agent Marcus Stroman

The Cubs, while making a few solid moves this offseason, including the free agent signings of Yan Gomes and Clint Frazier, have stayed relatively quiet. However, they are now being directly linked to one of the top free agent starting pitchers.

According to 670 The Score’s Matt Spiegel, the Cubs are having serious discussions with right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman.

Have heard now from 2 different sources that the Cubs and Marcus Stroman are hot and heavy in discussion right now. Would absolutely love that signing.

— M@ (@MattSpiegel670) December 1, 2021

Stroman, 30, made 33 starts with the Mets in 2021, ending the season with a 3.02 ERA in 179 innings. The veteran starting pitcher does not have a qualifying offer attached to him this offseason, meaning any team that signs him will not give up a draft pick or international pool money.

Spiegel’s report isn’t the first time we’ve seen the Cubs linked to Stroman in the past week or so as MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes said the Cubs were one of many teams interested in the righty.

Sources say the Red Sox, Giants, Cubs, Mets, and Angels are interested in free agent righty Marcus Stroman.

— timdierkes (@timdierkes) November 24, 2021

The Cubs have made it a point this offseason to say they want to add more power pitching to their rotation, however, Stroman isn’t that type of pitcher. Yet, the Cubs also can’t be picky heading into 2022 and it’s not like Stroman wouldn’t immediately make the team better.

As a fan, you could also convince yourself that the team wouldn’t stop with a Stroman signing because they still haven’t added that power arm to the starting five. So, you’d think the Cubs would continue to pursue guys like Carlos Rodón or Yusei Kikuchi.

Stroman has been a strong and dependable starter for the Blue Jays and Mets, making 32+ starts in three of the last four seasons, while throwing more than 175 innings in four of the last five full seasons he’s played in. Since the start of 2016, Stroman ranks 15th in innings pitched.

The right-hander is an elite ground ball pitcher, with a career 57.4 ground ball % and has allowed less than one home run per nine innings throughout his seven-year career.

And this is where some Cubs fans, myself included, will get way too ahead of ourselves. So, as of right now the Cubs have Nick Madrigal and Nico Hoerner penciled in as the team’s middle infield. Yet, if they end up signing another pitcher who doesn’t miss a lot of bats, Stroman, you need to have as strong of a defense as possible. Why not go after one of the top-two free agent shortstops next if that’s the case then?

THINK ABOUT IT PEOPLE!

So, while you daydream about that we still have to wait and see if these discussions between the Cubs and Stroman lead to anything. At this point, with a lockout imminent, any new signings won’t happen until a new CBA is negotiated.