Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Insider Suggests Pitcher Marcus Stroman to Fill Out Starting Rotation

With Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw becoming free agents this week and the expected exodus of Trevor Bauer, the Dodgers will have some holes to fill in the starting rotation next season. At the moment, only Walker Buehler and Julio Urias remain for LA, both with the expectation of filling 30+ starts in 2022. With that, we’re in that fun preamble to the offseason’s open market.

Of the dozens of premium arm expected to hit free agency this winter, the Dodgers will have an opportunity to stick with the known or look to seriously shake up the roster. With that, LA Times beat writer Jorge Casillo had some thoughts on how Andrew Friedman could fill out the depleted starting rotation.



Enter Marcus Stroman. The right-hander made 33 starts for the New York Mets in 2021, going 10-13 with a 3.02 ERA over 179 innings pitched. Here’s what Castillo had to say about the 30-year-old pitcher.

What Stroman lacks in durability — he averaged 5-1/3 innings in 33 starts for the New York Mets this year — he makes up for in performance. … [His] four-pitch mix consists of a 92-mph fastball, 85.5-mph slider, 90.4-mph cut fastball and 86-mph changeup.

Someone who could fill quality innings at the top of the rotation is exactly what LA should be looking for. While Stroman lacks the gravitas of a Kershaw or Scherzer, he makes up for it with durability and athleticism. He’s made 30+ starts in four of his last five full seasons. The big question for LA is, what could Stroman be seeking in free agency? Rumors have him asking for $25M annually, which may cause the Dodgers to consider upping the ante to reach Max Scherzer’s reported asking price.

Related: Dodgers Insider Sees Max Scherzer Deal in the $100M Range

Notably, Andrew Friedman has said that he expects LA to pull from its bounty of young, talented arms from the minor leagues next season and beyond. With Dustin May expected to return around mid-season, and another campaign set to only help Tony Gonsolin, seemingly the club can go cheap in the rotation. But another season of the rotation faltering or being understaffed late and into the postseason would be a tough pill to swallow for fans. Particularly as the Giants and Padres look to strengthen their clubs as well this offseason.

As has been said numerous times here on this site, this coming offseason is sure to be one of the most transformative winters in recent memory.

Dodgers Rumors: Insider Links Marcus Stroman to LA, Should LA Consider Signing Stroman?

NEXT: Corey Seager Rumored to Have Turned Down Contract Extension this Year

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

87 Comments

  1. I’m confused.Paragraph two says he “lacks” in durability and paragraph three says he “makes up with durability.” At any rate, I like Stroman – but – if durability is the question, what is the point in bringing in another potentially brittle starting pitcher. Didn’t we kind of see how that didn’t play out so well this year? And you are correct. If Stroman is going for $25M then we really should concentrate on bringing back Scherzer. Stroman is really not top of the rotation anymore.

    1. Concur here. IDK but I would not be surprised that in part due to many players becoming free agents at the same time this off season that Dodgers just may not be able to survive that and a lean year may be what takes place. With the way this roster is currently with so much uncertainty, Dodgers could very well miss the PS in 2022.

  2. May will surely fit in the 3 to 5 opener slots. Gonsolin ? Not so sure. Stroman at 25 M age 30 or Max 100 M at age 38 (and dead arm). Name your poison.

    1. John, I would be fine with Alex Wood coming back but he will want to be a starter and not go back and forth from starting to relieving such as Roberts has done with a few other pitchers.

      1. I would love to have Woody back…just can’t imagine him wanting to given that he has been discarded twice already!

        1. Plus, he pitched in the most pitcher friendly park in SF. Not sure he leaves…

        2. Can’t figure out the Dodgers whiffed on him twice. All he did was make an All-star team in 2017 and beat the Cheaters in their little band-box when NOBODY ELSE COULD…for thanks he gets shipped off in salary dump to the Reds with the cancer Puig and Dodger fav but aging Matt Kemp. With the Reds he gets banged up and disappointed the franchise and Dodgers get a 2nd chance. Mis-treat him again and all he does is pitch lights out from the pen in the postseason in 2020.

          If I were him I wouldn’t come back to the Dodgers in a million years!

  3. 5 1/3 innings per start sounds like a bullpen drainer to me. Plus, all those innings over the past 5 years would raise concerns about his arm going forward. I’d pass on this guy. He kind of sounds like a proven version of Gonsolin.

    1. 5 and 1/3 is better than the alternative- bullpen game after bullpen game as seen this year. If the price is right, the Dodgers should grab him.

      1. No way. Mitch White is nearly as good as Stroman at what 1/10 the cost? Probably less!

        1. Maybe as good and certainly far less costly but he still has much to prove. I’d like to see him get the opportunity. Ryan Pepiot is also ready and the team is real big on him.

          1. We need to see a little more out of Mitch, don’t we? He had the one amazing game, but otherwise wasn’t very reliable, don’t you think? Stroman is way more proven. It depends on the price. Anything reasonable- 15 to 20 million per- and he’s worth getting.

          2. Don’t forget Bobby Miller and Landon Knack but they aren’t as close as Andre Jackson is.

          3. All of these questions would have better answers if we knew what the expected budget was IMO.

          4. Bernard, you are correct. Stroman is clearly more accomplished than White. My comparison is a bit stretched there for sure. But considering the value difference, I would be willing to roll the dice with White. It certainly appears the 2022 budget to be much lower than 2021. I’m anticipating a lower Luxury tax, currently 210m to more like 180m.

          5. Benard and DF4 … I have a feeling – no facts – just a hunch that while the CBA and the Bauer thing drags out Friedman’s going to stand pat. I’ll bet he moves quick on CT3 but lets the market developed for everyone else with a fallback position of bringing a lot of these young pitchers to spring training (if there is one.) If it blows up, he’ll address it at the deadline. I think he went all in last year and wants to reestablish payroll flexibility before spending any more.

          6. Bum4, makes complete sense to me. Too much uncertainty to go out on a limb. That what I found so surprising about locking up Mookie in the middle of a Pandemic! Kinda risky if you ask me. What would have happened if they had wiped out the entire 2020 season?

    1. Kershaw is not coming back. Scherzer and Bauer will be back. Stroman would be a great option. Also Noah Syndergaard and Zach Davies are good options too.

      1. Kershaw is coming back. He will retire eventually having played with just 1 team – your Los Angeles Dodgers!

          1. Paul and Harry, just accept the fact that we dont need him anymore. I appreciate everything that he has done, but it’s time to move on.

        1. He is not the same player that he used to be. He is as good as gone. He will probably sign with the Texas Rangers.

          1. Hey Dodger Boy that’s what some believe about returning home to Texas. But I’m sure CK wants to be on a team that will contend for October and the Rangers are not one of those teams.

          2. Great response Paul. Lot of comments on whether Kersh will leave and sign with Texas, but I don’t remember anyone making your points. Why under any circumstances would a pitcher with Kersh’s career accomplishments want to end their career with a losing team. He is a student of the game and I believe it to be very important to him to finish his career with Dodgers and the Dodgers only.

  4. Yeah, which is it? Lacks durability or has excellent durability? Also, averaging 5 and 1/3 is great by today’s standards. We’ll take it. I don’t know about 25 million though. Maybe more in the 15 to 20 range. Also, don’t the Mets need arms more than anything? Or have they spent too much already and can’t afford to re-sign him?

  5. This team needs 6 certified starters and at the moment they have Buehler, May when he comes back from TJ surgery, an aged and injury-prone Kershaw, a want to be over-paid Sherzer who likely won’t be back due to salary, a useless Price if kept, a 50/50 Gonsolin who is at-best a 4 inning guy. I don’t believe enough fans realize the predicament the pitching is actually in. Add in the positional players needed to be retained or not, the Dodgers may find themselves needing to go with more of their grown talent than that of FA.

    1. Let me add that the Dodgers had many a pitcher that could start a game here and there, but they aren’t true starters, It equated to having more and more bp games and that hurts since they already have to fill in for the starters that can’t go 5 innings.

      1. Taryn, Did we forget about the only 20 game winner in baseball in 2021? Julio Urias!

        1. Yes, I did. Still, if Sherzer doesn’t resign, they’re still short, and when one goes down they don’t have the stater quality in the bp and Gonsolin is a long relief guy and not a starter.

          1. No doubt. Dodgers will most definitely need to address the starting pitcher situation for sure. Other teams have similar issues. Padres don’t have much in the way of reliable starters either. Giants have Webb and FA’s.

          2. Taryn, the soon to be WS champs started 3 rookies in a row to start games on the biggest stage! What does this speak to the value of a starter?

  6. The only thing to combat the starter situation is get some players that can hit the ball. Focus on players that hit 300and drive in 100. Chris Bryant to start, then make a trade for Realmuto throwing in Barnes, a draft pick cash and a reliever such as Gonsales and 3 problems are solved providing Will Smith can play maybe 1st? and Drrrrrrrr could actually give him a full offseason to get ready for it . Suggest finding a suitor salary swap etc for Price and send him off to Baltimore ( Maybe he can get his WS ring back that he hocked) Just a few ideas that would address glaring problems in that line up. Keep Bauer, have him go to a Manfred Socialist training program and say he was sorry for being kinky, let Kersh go and resign Kenley to a short contract now that Kelly won’t be around.

    1. Kirk, I’m shocked I agree with so much of your comment. I would love to have Realmuto, but I doubt the Phillies part with him. Would love for someone to take Price off our hands. Good luck with that. Wouldn’t you think Opie (er Smith) would be a nice fit at 3B? Muncy already at 1B. Opie has 486 minor league innings at 3B. What you think? We won’t discuss our disagreement. I have no desire to lob insults back and forth. I enjoy reading your perspective.

      1. D4, I have no choice reading your comments ( All 775,000,000) of them. Once in a while I agree with you and like everyone here you make some valid points. If you don’t want to sling insults then quit starting them ( Like You do). But if you want to it’s a really boring time sitting around here speculating on the what if’s , and I’m ALWAYS 100% game. Hugs and kisses

      2. Realmuto is staying in Philadelphia. They have very little protection now for Harper and do you think for one minute they are going to trade a key piece of that team and let alone one that Harper was his biggest supporter to have him resigned. Just what exactly does Baltimore have that we would want right now. I agree getting rid of Price would be nice, but somewhere other than Baltimore. On Bryant, DF4 and others can attest that I have made several comments regarding bringing him to LA. I think he will look just great in Dodger Blue.

          1. Yeah, that team in Norther Cali is most likely going to provide stiff competition in signing him. He sure would be a nice fit though.

    2. Forget Seeger. Give that money to Freddie Freeman. Freeman at first for 150 games, Turner at short for 150 games, Muncy split at second and third for 150 games. When Muncy’s at second, Ginger Jesus plays third. When Muncy’s at Third, Lux plays second. Ginger Jesus DH’s when he’s not at third.

      1. I completely agree Bernard Freeman would be the guy to pay big for. Doesn’t look like the braves will let him slip away though especially if they win the series. Now, duvall Rosario even Soler would all be good pick ups as we all found out…

          1. Ya a franchise pillar just gunna be allowed to walk out the door, lol

    3. kirk douglas mikey’s dad – there is NO way the Dodgers keep Bauer. 100% guaranteed. They just a soon eat another $38M next year if he’s still on paid leave. He’s done – toast – gone!

          1. I’m afraid so. The only thing I know about Nazi’s is that I tie my shoes in little ones LOL

          2. Oh yeah Bernard. Anytime I tell the truth about Drrrrrrrrr and mention 275 mill payroll in the same paragraph is a sure fire Moderation. Or if some loud mouth know it all won’t shut up and i tell him/her the What up, Moderated. Usually about half what I post makes it…

          3. @kirk Douglas:

            I dared say something against Bro__k Me 3, and one of his pretty narrow opinions that he’s rolled with. I like a lot of what he has to say, and think he has great insights, but there’s one thing I think he’s very wrong and stubborn about. Apparently he and/or this site which claims to be cool, is quick to point out shortcomings and where they think others are wrong…… is a lot more sensitive to being critiqued than I previously thought

          4. You can only go so far on this site because the writers are definitely being paid by Guggenheim to steer a certain narrative. There’s some commenters amongst us who are shiIIs in disguise.

    1. For whatever reasons I get that awaiting moderation message even though my comments are not in any disagreement here with the writers or anyone else. And thats even after 2 simple short sentences. IDK….

          1. Don, You’ve been here the longest as I’ve seen. You’ve always been straight up, even when the opinion you share doesn’t fit the narrative. I’ve always noticed when the narrative starts turning against Drrrrrrrr or Kasten etc. We instantly have a slew of new commenters instantly in support of them no matter HOW bad they’ve screwed up. I’ve been in the same camp as you regarding this matter. Also, I remember when they tried to X you from here as they did the same thing to me for voicing the truth even though it wasn’t lolly pops and caressing slaps on the rear like they love regarding certain Managers and coaches/FO..

    2. It’s wild these guys call themselves Sports Journalists. This site doesn’t even have spell check. They have some great thoughts, opinions and insights, but calling themselves journalists is something else

      1. Yeah just like the rest of the media these days. They get someone disputing their beliefs and they shut it down. The killing of free speech. They don’t even think there’s anything wrong with it, and like always they claim ( since they’re a PRIVATE site, ” they can silence the opposition. There was only 1, and I say 1 writer here at this site in the summer that would even mention Drrrrrrrrr bias when he sent Beaty down and kept playing Mckinney and allowed the Bellinger SWOON!!!! While Beaty and Lux rotted in Triple A….Both, were hitting around 250 while the others NOT SO MUCH!!!!!!!

        1. Kirk. I concur that Freddie Freeman will re- sign with the Braves. Even should they fall short in the WS, and I’m pulling for them to beat those cheaters, he will remain a Brave. But if Dodgers can pull off signing Bryant that would be fine with me. WSS.

          1. Paul, we both tend to agree pretty much on a lot of things. They keep our conversations locked up. This happens often when I comment to you as well. I’m in agreement with Don Cato on this, read the quotes above unless they simply REMOVE them like I’ve seen happen here plenty as well.

          2. Paul, I have had numerous posts (775,000,000 to be exact lol) disappear altogether as well. IIWII

            I never know ahead of time which ones will make it through so I use the shotgun approach lol.

  7. What’s the difference between a Yankee fans and dentists?

    One roots for the yanks, and the other yanks for the roots LOL

  8. “he averaged 5-1/3 innings”

    We have the type of bullpen that can cover for a pitcher with a real good ERA but shorter legs.

  9. Am i the only one who thinks paying a bunch to any starter is just poor economics? Given the direction the game seems to heading, away from starters and towards more and more bp games…even in the WS!

    1. No you are not. Maybe it’s time to bring up some of our more promising arms up and let us see what they can do. Someone alluded to this in an earlier post, but I don’t see Freidman going overboard with anything until this CBA is settled. Bringing up arms is certainly not going to kill our budget and we may well find a diamond or two in the rough.

      1. Orel and Joe Davis have talked about this pitching use before implying that they eventually see a ,starting pitcher go by the waste side. More teams will employ an ‘opener and use the rest of the pitchers as BP pieces.

        1. Paul, I think the issue of the starting pitcher will be an issue that gets addressed in the CBA I think it’s a real sticking point for the players

          1. Kind a like my use of the word issue twice in the same sentence LOL

    2. It depends because it’s about the number of quality innings. The Dodgers pitched a bunch of BP games but they also juggled guys on the 40 man and active roster to do so. Pitchers such as Buehler and Urias who surpass 200 innings are still very valuable. It was the reason Friedman signed Bauer. Fool though he may be, Bauer always posts with good – not great – results.

  10. Dodger Boy, you have clearly lost your mind. Not meant to be sarcasm, I am sure Paul will most likely agree, Kersh is a long way from finished and the Dodgers DO NEED HIM. His experience will prove to be invaluable.

    1. But is he healthy? I’m always skeptical when guys complain about forearm issues but don’t have corrective surgery. These things don’t usually just go away.

  11. I certainly do not disagree with that. Just my opinion, but I would think that if this was a severe issue they (Dodgers) would have forced the issue on surgery or some type of corrective action, Not speaking from any type of a medical background, because I have none, but maybe because he is now throwing so many sliders and increasing his curve ball numbers that he just put too much strain on his forearm area. Of course throwing a curve puts strain on the elbow, but I don’t recall hearing any suggestion of TJ surgery. Just hope that this offseason the Dodgers and his people are putting together a program of limited activity with some strength training/conditioning. WSS

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button