Milwaukee Brewers: Which Starting Pitchers Could Move At the Deadline

2) Marcus Stroman, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays

Marcus Stroman may be the second best pitcher available on the market this summer. Given Toronto’s position in the American league, they have little incentive to hold on to a player who’s going be able to enter free agency after the 2020 season.

Stroman’s profile is the ideal fit for Miller Park. He’s a heavy ground ball pitcher, posting a GB% above 60% in every season he’s played except this season. Even this year, his ground ball percentage is still very good (57.5%). That’s an ideal thing for a pitcher who would be starting in a home run happy ball park on a regular basis.

His other underlying stats aren’t as flashy as Boyd’s, but they’re still solid. Stroman has a 3.18 ERA through 104 2/3 innings so far (averaging just under six innings per start), though his FIP (3.82) and DRA (3.97) suggests he’s had some luck on his side. He’s not an overpowering pitcher, as his 6.96 K/9 rate suggests, but he doesn’t give up many walks (2.75 per/9) and limits home runs (he’s given up less than one HR per/9 in every season he’s pitched, including this year).

Stroman has an excellent repertoire of pitches, suggesting that there may be some untapped potential remaining in his profile. His age (28) and extra year of control beyond this year are also an added bonus for the Milwaukee Brewers.

He may not be a front-line starter, but his ability to induce ground balls, and pitch close to six innings regularly, would be a major asset for a Milwaukee Brewers team that’s struggled to get consistent deep outings out of any of their starters so far this season.  It’s his ground-ball profile that really makes him an attractive, top-tier type target.