RADIO
Marcus Stroman 2020 Outlook: Low Strikeout, Back-End Starter
5 years agoMarcus Stroman put together a terrific 2019 season that helped him earn his first All-Star selection before getting shipped across the border to join the Mets at the trade deadline. In his 32 starts between Toronto and New York, he compiled 159 strikeouts in 184.1 IP while posting a 3.22 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in his 10-win season. Established as a dominant ground-ball pitcher, Stroman's ground-ball rate came in nearly 10% lower than his career rate, but his 53.9% GB% last season still finished as a top-five mark in the league. Stroman traded more ground balls for swings and misses in 2019 by throwing his sinker less and his slider and cutter more frequently, but he reverted to his old ways once he joined the Mets in August. Despite the move to a more favorable pitching environment, his results weren't as sterling in the NL as he posted a 3.77 ERA and .274 BA against, so it'll be interesting to see how he manages his repertoire in 2020. His 3.99 xFip and 4.41 SIERA suggests he'll regress in the ERA category and his underwhelming 20.5% K-rate doesn't help move the needle either. At an ADP of 220, Stroman's price is reasonable but not loaded with upside as a back-end fantasy starter.
