Detroit Tigers free agent target: Starting pitcher Marcus Stroman

Live from Comerica Park in a Detroit Tigers uniform: It’s the Stro Show!

Our Contender November continues here at Motor City Bengals as we look at some free-agent starting pitchers who may be a good fit for the Detroit Tigers. One of those potential options is one of the more engaging, captivating stars in the game.

Who is Marcus Stroman?

Marcus Stroman played for the New York Mets in 2021 after accepting a qualifying offer following the 2020 season. The 5′ 7″ right-hander who lives by the motto “HDMH (Height Doesn’t Measure Heart)” bet on himself, and the gamble paid off.

In 179 innings pitched in 2021, Stroman had a 3.7 WAR, a 3.02 ERA, and a solid 1.145 WHIP. If you follow his Twitter account linked above you’d know some of the other interesting factoids about his season.

As well as…

Point is, there are a lot of signs point as to why Stroman is a top free agent available regardless of position.

Stroman is also proving durable. After opting out of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stroman made 33 starts in 2021, tied for the MLB lead. His aforementioned 179 innings pitched ranked 25th in Major League Baseball and led the Mets.

Why Detroit?

A major key behind Stroman is always going to be a good defense. If the Tigers are able to sign someone, let’s say, someone like Carlos Correa, then that would be a big plus for a pitcher like Stroman who pitches to contact and won’t strike out a ton of hitters. Comerica Park is known as a pitcher’s park, a great benefit to the New York native.

A young, exciting team with an eager fanbase like Detroit is exactly where a player like Stroman thrives. Stroman is a great person to have around an organization, and someone a fan base can rally around. Marcus’ durability would be welcomed in a Tigers rotation that was met with injuries and innings limits throughout 2021. Young pitchers like Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal would greatly benefit from Stroman going out every fifth day and pitching deep into games.

Reports towards the end of the season projected Stroman to earn around $150 million over six years. $25 million a year may seem like a lot to some, but if the pitcher is worth it, then it’s a great deal considering the going rate these days (Six starting pitchers will earn over $30 million in 2022).

Stroman would be a great Tiger, and the “Stro Show” would surely have an amped live “studio” audience every fifth night at Comerica Park.