Cubs Rumors: Looking at 5 potential landing spots for Marcus Stroman

With strong play over the past week or so, including a historic series-opening win over the crosstown rival White Sox on Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs have swung from sellers to potential buyers. Their fate at the trade deadline will be determined by the results over the next few days, but in either case, Marcus Stroman looks like a logical trade piece.

Stroman, who is ineligible for a qualifying offer at year's end, has an opt-out in his deal that will allow him to test free agency this offseason. He's all but certain to do so, barring a season-ending injury or total collapse down the stretch, which could prompt the Cubs to trade him and net at least something in return, rather than simply letting him walk for nothing once the season wraps up.

With Cubs trade rumors swirling already and exepcted to ramp up even more heading into the weekend, here are 5 partners in a potential Marcus Stroman trade.

5 potential partners in a Marcus Stroman trade: #5 - Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers took a big swing last winter, inking the dominant, yet injury-prone Jacob deGrom to a five-year, $185 million contract. Year one of the deal didn't end well, with the right-hander tearing his UCL and needing season-ending surgery after just six starts with his new club.

Even without him, the Rangers have challenged the longtime kings of the AL West, the Houston Astros, with July winding down and just one game separating the two clubs as of Wednesday evening. Texas' offense deserves the credit for where the team finds itself, but don't sleep on the Rangers rotation, either, which ranks fifth in MLB in ERA.

Slotting Stroman into an already-strong staff with a solid defense behind him is a recipe for success. We've seen that over the last two or so years with the Cubs. If Texas is ready to push its chips in and try to knock off the Astros, adding Stroman to the mix could be a difference-maker.

5 potential partners in a Marcus Stroman trade: #4 - Toronto Blue Jays

Everybody loves a reunion, right? The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves amongst a handful of high-powered rosters that have underperformed to this point in the 2023 season. Toronto is 6 1/2 games out in a loaded American League East, despite a $212 million payroll that ranks seventh in the sport.

Former AL Cy Young winner Alek Manoah has been a total disaster for much of the year, with a 6.10 ERA and 1.797 WHIP - even earning a demotion to the minors at one point - and the Blue Jays rotation, as a whole, has picked up the slack to keep the team in the hunt for a postseason spot. But bringing back Stroman could prove to be a critical move if the team wants to chase down Baltimore in the division race and avoid a Wild Card series to open the playoffs.

Stroman, of course, pitched for the Jays from 2014 to 2019, but left on bad terms, tearing into the front office after being dealt to the Mets. That, paired with Toronto's depleted farm system, makes a reunion improbable - but not impossible.

5 potential partners in a Marcus Stroman trade: #3 - Houston Astros

Pitching and defense wins championships. That could bode well for the reigning World Series champion Astros, whose starting rotation ranks second in the league in ERA (but a middle-of-the-pack 12th in terms of WHIP). Injuries have decimated this team all year long and adding rotation reinforcements is hardly the worst idea in the world.

Houston 'checked in' on not only Stroman, but also former MVP and Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger in recent weeks, per reports - so you know the Astros are, at the very least, doing their due diligence.

Framber Valdez is in the AL Cy Young conversation, but pairing him with Stroman to start a postseason series would be a big move for Dusty Baker's club. Houston has the prospect capital to swing a deal like this and he'd be a perfect fit as the Astros try to make it back-to-back titles and reach their fourth World Series in the last seven years.

5 potential partners in a Marcus Stroman trade: #2 - Tampa Bay Rays

Tell me that Marcus Stroman playing for the Rays wouldn't be fun and immediately make you root for that team. After a scorching start to the year, Tampa Bay has come crashing back to earth in dramatic fashion, going 5-14 in July action, seeing the Orioles leapfrog them and jump into first in the AL East.

A proven veteran with postseason experience like Stroman would be a shot in the arm for Tampa Bay. Our friends over at Rays Colored Glasses hit the nail on the head, when pointing out the perfect match between the right-hander and this roster, specifically, its young, athletic infield mix.

Pairing an elite groundball pitcher with a defense like this, again, is a recipe for success. Of all the teams with reported interest in Stroman, this might be the best match, at least on paper. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to see Shane McClanahan and Stroman back-to-back to open a postseason series.