The Warning Track: Marcus Stroman Comes Up Clutch
Posted Sep 24, 2015 10:48:21 AM.
Last Updated Sep 24, 2015 01:19:07 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
When the Toronto Blue Jays acquired David Price at the trade deadline, they were the envy of every team in baseball. The Blue Jays added one of the best starting pitchers in baseball to their rotation and have been virtually unstoppable ever since.
But then the unthinkable happened; Marcus Stroman returned and in turn, the Blue Jays added a second ace to their starting rotation. The timing could not have been better, as the Blue Jays prepare for their first postseason appearance in nearly 22 years. And Marcus Stroman’s return is a big part of that.
It may have only been three starts thus far, but Marcus Stroman has not missed a beat since returning to the Blue Jays pitching rotation. Through three games, he has a sparkling 1.89 ERA and has been virtually unhittable. Opponents have only collected three extra base hits over the course of 19 innings pitched.
And it’s not like Stroman is facing the bottom of the barrel in terms of competition; two of those starts have been against the Yankees (one at Yankee stadium) and another against a rejuvenated Boston Red Sox squad.
It’s quite remarkable that Marcus Stroman is only six months removed from tearing his ACL and having his entire season sidelined in Spring Training. And now here he is coming up clutch for the Blue Jays at the most crucial point of the year.
It really speaks to the determination of Marcus Stroman to come back in the fashion that he has. The Blue Jays very easily could have asked Stroman to take it easy and target a 2016 return date. But thanks to all the hard work Stroman put in over the summer, he’s managed to come back and regain his 2014 form.
At a time of the season where innings are beginning to pile up and the wear and tear of a 162 game season start to creep in, Stroman has brought some much-needed stability to the pitching staff.
There’s no doubt that Marcus Stroman has a very bright future as a starting pitcher. But that was all temporarily sidelined after his devastating ACL injury. What Marcus Stroman is doing now is a testament to his drive and focus; the ability to bounce back from a setback like that and then return even stronger is a quality that’s extremely rare.
Marcus Stroman has been like an adrenaline shot for the Toronto Blue Jays. In a way, he’s been the second best or arguably even the best in-season acquisition the Blue Jays have made this year.
