Does deGrom Injury Bring New Trade Suitor for Marcus Stroman?

The Chicago Cubs may have to trade starting pitcher Marcus Stroman at the deadline, and an injury to another pitcher might add a new suitor.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, to many, is a potential trade chip the Cubs could use as the deadline closes in.

Stroman has played his way into a commodity this season, and with a player option for 2024 he could test the free-agent market this offseason. He has also made it clear he would like to stay in Chicago on a long-term deal.

If the Cubs and Stroman can’t reach a deal by late July they may have to make a move to get something in return for the right-hander. The list of suitors could include several teams poised to make a long postseason run.

That list of suitors may have grown by one on Tuesday, as the season-ending injury to Jacob deGrom might put the Texas Rangers in the market for a short-term starting pitching option.

deGrom will have surgery next week on a torn UCL in his right elbow. He is expected to miss part of the 2024 season, as well as the rest of this season.

Without deGrom, the Rangers, anchored by Nathan Eovaldi, the American League Pitcher of the Month for May, have been one of the best rotations in baseball.

Through 59 games — with Eovaldi, Martín Pérez, Dane Dunning, Jon Gray and Andrew Heaney handling the bulk of the starts — the Rangers ranked among the AL’s best in wins (1st, 28), home runs per nine innings (1st, 0.90), win percentage (2nd, .757), pitches per innings pitched (2nd, 15.4), groundout double plays induced (2nd, 33), WHIP (2nd, 1.13), innings pitched (T2nd, 339.0), opposing batting average (3rd, .232) and opposing OPS (3rd, .662).

So, the obvious question is why would the Rangers need another starter at this point?

deGrom’s injury answers the question. The Rangers are now down some depth in the starting pitching department. Dunning started the season in the bullpen and he was the team’s best multi-inning option before replacing deGrom in May.

With another injury, the depth in the rotation gets thinner.

Stroman is attractive, and not just because he could be nothing more than a short-term rental. He was just named the NL Player of the Week after two quality starts last week in which he gave up one run in 15 innings. He also threw a complete game.

Stroman is now 6-3 with a 2.39 ERA with 68 strikeouts and 27 walks.

Plus, there is the opportunity to restock the Cubs’ farm system. MLB insider Jon Heyman told 670 The Score radio that the Cubs could get “a lot” for Stroman in trade.

The Rangers have a well-stocked farm system that is considered one of the best in baseball and includes more than a dozen pitchers in its Top 30, per MLB.com.

But the Rangers would need to want to make a deal. The only commitment Rangers general manager Chris Young made on Tuesday, via InsideTheRangers.com, was this:

“Our job as a front office is to continue to look for ways to make this team as good as possible and that’s what I’m committed to doing,” Young said.

Whether that commitment would include making a deal for Stroman remains to be seen. But deGrom’s injury means the Cubs might have another suitor come late July. 

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