New York Mets: Three Marcus Stroman predictions for 2020

The 2020 season will be the first full year for Marcus Stroman as a member of the New York Mets. What should we expect from him?

New York native, Marcus Stroman, was brought back home last summer in a deal that surprised many teams across the league, and even Stroman himself initially. The New York Mets acquired the former first-round pick out of Duke University in exchange for their top two pitching prospects at the time, LHP Anthony Kay and RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson.

To say this deal ignited an exciting pennant run for the New York Mets team would be an accurate assessment; one that re-invigorated a discontent locker room and transformed this clubhouse from a 50-55, below .500 team before the deal into the playoff-contending 86-76 record they finished the season with; just 3 games out of the second Wild Card seed.

During that time, Stroman went 4-2 as a starter while posting a middling 3.77 ERA through 11 games. Not bad for someone getting reacquainted with life in New York City with the brighter lights and spotlights placed on professional athletes in this intense sports market.

Perfect third starter material

After being voted to the 2019 American League All-Star roster as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays before being traded midseason, the Mets and Stroman avoided arbitration by agreeing on a one-year, $12 million contract for the 2020 season, representing an increase from the $7.4 million he made last year. Prior to the start of the 2020 season, Mets fans should expect the young righty to be worth every bit of this deal.

Following the club’s decision not to pursue Zack Wheeler in free agency, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see Marcus Stroman penciled in as the Mets third starting pitcher. Unlike Wheeler, whose arm strength and ball-control ability helped him overpower opposing batters at the plate, Stroman’s short stature and pitch sequencing are what differentiates him as a ground-ball pitcher from his former teammate.

Similarly, it’s what distinguishes him from his teammates Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard who headline the Mets rotation as bonafide power arms.

Stroman’s smooth delivery and overall swag on the mound make him the perfect fit for the position. By adding balance in the middle of their rotation and serving as a steady arm in the Mets rotation, he is a viable option to open or close any three-game series against opponents.