MLB rumors: Why Marcus Stroman should be Red Sox top pitching target

The Boston Red Sox top pitching target should be New York Mets free agent Marcus Stroman for sure since there is no better fit on the market for the Sox than this pitcher.

Let’s face it, you gotta love this guy. First, he’s a very good pitcher. No doubt about that since he had a good season with the Mets last year and others prior.

Stroman was 10-13, not a great won-lost, but … he also had a 3.02 ERA in 33 games started. Sounds good in this space.

In addition, he has dissed the, well, not-liked New York Yankees. So, if there were no other reasons for liking this 30-year-old pitcher, it says here, that would be enough.

Why the Boston Red Sox should sign Marcus Stroman

The Red Sox of course recently lost a good pitcher to the Detroit Tigers in free agency, Eduardo Rodriguez reportedly on a five-year deal for $77M.

His best years in Boston were in 2018 and 2019, the latter year he won 19 games for the Red Sox. They need to replace his production. Stroman would be a nice choice.

While two years older than Rodriguez at 30, you’ve gotta like this pitcher’s fire. He’s never won more than 13 games in a season. That was with Toronto in 2019.

Yet, he can boast a 3.63 ERA for his career. Those are solid numbers and Stroman won’t be expected to carry the load of a top 2 starter. He may be third or fourth after Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi, and possibly Nick Pavetta.

Stroman started 33 games for the New York Mets last season. That solid presence on the mound as in durability is always a positive attribute for a starting pitcher especially when he can spin an ERA of 3.02 for the Mets last season.

Stroman was pegged recently as possibly the top pitching target in free agency for the Red Sox and that suggestion was spot on. Here’s an excerpt,

"Stroman is about as consistent as they come, and would be a perfect fit right behind Sale and Eovaldi in the rotation. He’s made 30+ starts in four of his last five seasons, picking up an All Star berth in 2019 and an eighth place finish in Cy Young voting in the 2017 season."

Again, there’s an allusion to that attribute, durability. It can’t be overestimated in its worth to a baseball team that’s goal is not just the playoffs, but to win a World Series as is Boston’s.

Boston Red Sox possibility Marcus Stroman and the Yankees

Back to his evident dislike of the guys from New York who wear the dark pinstripes. Stroman dissed the Yankees citing their lack of recent success despite their big spending in a Tweet cited in a cbs.com article.

Gotta love that attitude. Recently, this space suggested that the first Red Sox offseason signing should be Kyle Schwarber because he fits the team perfectly. Nothing has changed about that.

But in Stroman’s case, you have to believe that he’d also fit in nicely wearing the red, white, and blue of the Boston Red Sox.

That would be especially poignant when they face off against the arch rival New York Yankees 19 times each and every year.

Don’t you think Stroman would be aching to pitch in as many of those as he can? Of course, and wouldn’t that add just a little extra spice to the rivalry? Indeed.

So hopefully, Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer, Chaim Bloom will get to work and make this happen.

After all, you can never have too many players who really, really want to beat the Yankees, now can you? Go for it, Mr. Bloom. Please.