Marcus Stroman is in the midst of a fantastic season for the Chicago Cubs. He has a 2.42 ERA and leads the National League in WHIP at 1.039 and hits per nine innings at 6.1 in 85.2 innings so far in 2023.  But the Cubs have not been reciprocal in talks about a contract extension.

Stroman has a player option worth $21 million for next season and is willing to stay with the Cubs. But the front office has not been eager to talk about a longer deal with the 32-year-old. Trade rumors have naturally spawned due to the uncertainty of that situation and Chicago being a losing team as the trade deadline approaches.

Some teams are starting to be linked to Stroman amid the contract dispute with the Cubs. The San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants are “two teams that will likely target him as a possible acquisition this summer,” according to Dennis Lin and Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic.

“Yeah, I have no problem with them,” Stroman said, via The Athletic. “There’s no problem. It’s just, like I said, there’s been no offer. There’s been no extension talks. My agent and I have been very open, pretty much multiple times a month, saying, ‘Hey, let’s sit down. Let’s talk. Let’s get something done.’ There’s been nothing from their point (of view). That’s just facts. That’s just how it is.”

The Padres have not gotten great seasons from Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove while Michael Wacha has been very good up to this point. The Giants' rotation is headlined by a star in Logan Webb and has gotten a great campaign from Alex Cobb. Stroman would be a huge addition to either NL West squad.

The Cubs are saying good things about him but their actions have not yet indicated a desire to keep him. “He’s been everything we hoped for when we signed him,” said team president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, via The Athletic. “We enjoy having him. We’ve given him the freedom to be himself, and he’s reciprocated that by pitching great. He’s been terrific for us.”

Stroman and the Cubs may not be headed for a split as Chicago wants to ensure that they have proper pitching depth. But their relationship is not headed down the right path.