Marcus Stroman has consistently been a reliable starting pitcher over the years. Stroman is now a free agent and should be in line for a big payday. He will have plenty of interest from teams in MLB free agency.
Stroman's 2023 season was a tale of two stories. He started extremely strong on the mound for the Chicago Cubs, ultimately making the All-Star team. He began to struggle as the season continued on and it was later revealed that Stroman was dealing with an injury.
Stroman returned late in the '23 campaign amid the Cubs' playoff push. Chicago narrowly missed the postseason, but the fact is that they probably wouldn't have even been competitive if it wasn't for Stroman's early-season effort.
Overall, the 32-year-old finished 2023 with a 3.95 ERA across 136.2 innings pitched, per Baseball Reference.
A return to Chicago is still a possibility, but it seems unlikely. So which teams make the most sense for Marcus Stroman in free agency?
Without further ado, here are Stroman's five best free agency destinations ahead of the 2024 season.
Marcus Stroman signs with the Cardinals?
Stroman has already been connected to the St. Louis Cardinals in MLB free agency. Leaving the Cubs for their rival wouldn't please Chicago fans, but the move makes sense for both Stroman and St. Louis.
The Cardinals must add pitching if they want to compete in 2024. Their offense was respectable during the 2023 season, but the Cardinals' pitching was atrocious.
Stroman could take over as the Cardinals ace for years to come. St. Louis would be able to build a quality rotation around the veteran right-hander.
St. Louis will certainly be a ballclub to monitor in the Marcus Stroman free agency sweepstakes.
Orioles make sense…
The Baltimore Orioles are another team looking for a pitching rotation leader. Baltimore enjoyed a superb 2023 season but their starting pitching faced uncertainty. The rotation didn't feature much star-power and the Orioles will benefit from adding pitching help during the offseason.
Marcus Stroman began his career in the American League East with the Toronto Blue Jays, so he is familiar with the division. Notably, Stroman understands what it takes to find success at stadiums like Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.
Baltimore is already a playoff contender, but they will emerge as a true World Series threat by signing a star such as Stroman.
Dodgers land Stroman?
The Los Angeles Dodgers' pitching concerns displayed themselves in the 2023 NLDS. LA was forced to rely on injured Clayton Kershaw and a rookie in Bobby Miller against the Diamondbacks.
The result? LA was swept by Arizona.
The Dodgers entered 2023 with pitching depth. Injuries and underperformance led to their thin rotation in October. Again, Stroman has been reliable over the years, and that is exactly what the Dodgers need.
He's pitched in at least 25 games in each of the past three seasons. Stroman has also recorded an ERA below four in each of those years.
Los Angeles needs to pursue Marcus Stroman in MLB free agency.
Tigers need an ace
The Detroit Tigers are not expected to make many big moves in free agency. However, the AL Central is wide open and Detroit's young core is continuing to develop. They are close to becoming a true contender, with their postseason window perhaps opening up in 2024.
In order to compete though, the Tigers will need to add veteran star-power in either free agency or via a trade. Signing Marcus Stroman would give the Tigers a much-needed ace to lead the starting rotation.
Stroman may welcome the opportunity to join Detroit. Playing for the Tigers would give him an opportunity to compete for years to come given the weak AL Central and Detroit's increasingly high-ceiling. Additionally, Stroman would instantly become one of, if not, the best player on the Tigers.
Detroit probably won't be discussed much when it comes to Stroman's potential free agency suitors. However, the Tigers should at least inquire about signing the ace.
Marcus Stroman joins Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks went from a forgettable franchise middling in the NL West to an exciting up-and-coming World Series contender. Despite reaching the Fall Classic in 2023 though, AZ must continue to add key players to their roster.
The fact is that AZ only won 84 games in 2023 and happened to catch fire at the right time. But this isn't a roster constructed to win 95 games during a regular season… at least not yet.
Adding Marcus Stroman to their Zac Gallen-led rotation would be a major move for Arizona. Trading for/signing a star hitter or two wouldn't hurt either.
The fit is a good one for Stroman given Arizona's potential.
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