In eleven starts since returning from the injured list on July 9, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Marcus Stroman has showcased exactly why he is the ace of the Chicago staff.
His seven-inning scoreless start against St. Louis on Sunday all but confirmed it.
Inked in the off-season to a three-year/$71 million dollar deal, Stroman’s recent stretch in the summer months has primed him for a dominant run on the mound to finish his first year with the Chicago organization.
After posting up and down-figures throughout the first few months of the season, the 31-year-old right-hander was unable to find the consistency on the mound displayed in his stellar 2021 campaign as a member of the New York Mets.
A mediocre start to his Cubs career came to a halt in June when the former Toronto Blue Jays first-round pick went on the injured list with shoulder inflammation in his throwing arm.
Perhaps some time off was exactly what the 31-year-old needed.
In four July starts, including his first back from injury, Stroman posted a wicked 0.89 ERA, allowing just two earned runs in 20.1 innings.
While the month of August did include three starts in which Stroman allowed four or more runs, his last two starts have validated his recent return to form. Despite two no-decisions, Stroman's performance in his return to Toronto last week, and against the Cardinals on Sunday, combined for 12 innings of one-run baseball.
Since his return from injury, Stroman has allowed just 17 earned runs in 61.1 innings, good for a 2.49 ERA. He also has 45 strikeouts in that stretch.
A few tweaks to his pitching arsenal might be the key to his rediscovered success on the mound.
Relying on his sinker and slider combination and increased usage on his four-seam fastball have worked well for the right-hander this season.
Up from 2.1% to now 10.7% this year, the surge in his fastball usage has been monumental. Opposing hitters nearly have a 100-point decrease in batting average against the pitch (.286 to .189).
It’s hard to argue that he really needs the four-seamer though, Stroman's sinker has a -12 run value attached to it, making it the fourth most valuable pitch of its kind in baseball this year.
Now past the 100-inning threshold on the season, Stroman will look to finish out the last month of the season continuing the recent dominance he has displayed on the mound for Chicago. While his 3-6 record might be deceiving, the right-hander offers sustained confidence to the organization for which he will head the rotation in 2023.
Joining fellow starters Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson, and a presumably healthy Kyle Hendricks, the rotation is shaping up to be at the forefront of next year’s team.
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