Chicago Cubs Rumors: Marcus Stroman on top of team’s wish list

With only two games left in the regular season, the attention in baseball with shift in two directions. Obviously, for the best teams, that focus will be on the postseason and ultimately winning a World Series. For the teams not playing deep into October such as the Chicago Cubs, the focus will immediately shift toward free agency and how teams can best improve their club moving forward.

Though free agency won’t officially open until later in the winter, It’s still interesting to look at who is available and the possibility of which teams have the financial power to sign certain players and how said players fit on a ballclub moving forward. It’s no secret the Cubs will be heavily pursuing starting pitching in the offseason, especially with Jed Hoyer himself stating the Cubs will be really active in free agency this offseason.

Spending ‘intelligently’ could mean a lot of different things, depending on who you ask. As a fan, you hope it doesn’t mean the Cubs will be super cheap regarding high-risk, high-reward contracts like they have in the past and more so finding those guys that are still someone cost effective but have all the making of a high upside signing, such as a Carlos Rodon or Marcus Stroman.

Recently, Stroman shared his thoughts on signing in Chicago. And based on what he had to say, it’s abundantly clear: he’s a viable Cubs target heading into the offseason.

"“The Cubs are always going to be a huge destination target,” he told NBC Sports Chicago. “Just because of the history of the franchise, how amazing the franchise is,” he said. “And the city’s one of my favorite cities. So I don’t think the Cubs will ever have trouble getting guys or having guys that want to go there. The organization’s been so good for so long, and it has that history there. I think everybody wants to play at Wrigley in front of that crowd.”"

As far as Stroman goes, as the Mets witnessed this year, he has the talent to really bolster a team’s starting rotation while not completely breaking the bank in the way a Max Scherzer-level pursuit would.

Though far from inexpensive, Stroman’s current contract with the New York Mets is a one-year deal worth $18.9 million. Again, when you look at the top arms in the game who pull in north of $30 million annually, he looks like a bargain, relatively speaking. With Stroman set to hit free agency after this season is over this weekend, bringing him to the North Side makes a lot more sense than you might initially think.

Chicago Cubs: Marcus Stroman will be a top-level target for the front office

The right-hander’s willingness to sign in Chicago during a rebuild is extremely encouraging. It will not be the easiest thing for the team to attract free agents this year after the front office dismantled the core. The long and short of it? When you have a stud pitcher – something you desperately need –  who isn’t completely overly expensive and has expressed a willingness to sign, you need to make it happen.

For 2021, Stroman currently sits at a 10-13 record – which doesn’t tell the whole story givenhe has a 3.02 ERA, 3.49 FIP and 158 strikeouts over the course of 179 innings. For his career, Stroman is 61-60 with a 3.63 ERA. It is important to realize the New York Mets only rank 27th in runs per game, which leaves Stroman with little room for error with hardly any run support at all and therefore explains the sub-.500 record.

If the Cubs have a real opportunity at landing an arm such as him, a 1-2 punch of Hendricks and Stroman already helps steer the ship in the right direction. Chicago knows it will need to strike early and often if they want to drastically improve the starting five heading into 2022. Stroman is a fantastic option that both helps the team show they are serious about winning again to attract other free agents, while helping win more ballgames in the near future.