When Marcus Stroman signed with the Chicago Cubs shortly earlier than the lockout, he thought it was an indication of the group’s dedication to profitable.
After all, the Cubs gave him the fourth-largest contract amongst beginning pitchers within the offseason. Stroman famous on the time that the Cubs are ”positively not in a full rebuild, they positively wish to win now” due to their transfer to signal him.
Stroman, although, additionally said “you never know what you’re going to get into any year.”
For Stroman and the Cubs, this season means one other commerce deadline sell-off as they enter Saturday with the seventh-worst report in baseball regardless of being winners in seven of their final eight video games following Friday’s 4-2 win towards the Giants.
Stroman threw six shutout innings within the victory, persevering with a stellar stretch. In 4 begins since coming off the injured record, Stroman has allowed solely two runs in 20⅓ innings for a 0.89 ERA.
Friday additionally marked the final time earlier than the commerce deadline that Stroman teamed up with Willson Contreras behind the plate. In 5 begins collectively, Stroman has a 3.08 ERA. The veteran right-hander is aware of what awaits Contreras and the Cubs main as much as Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline.
Stroman known as the three-time All-Star “the cornerstone of the franchise” for his contributions to the Cubs’ postseason runs.
“It’s special. I think we’re all going to miss Willson,” Stroman stated. “He’s nonetheless on our workforce, but it surely’s nearly like you already know what’s going to occur with the hugs and all the pieces the way it was at Wrigley the final homestand. We’re tremendous grateful for him.
“He’s going to be great. His career is just getting started. I think he’s going to be a perennial All-Star but, it definitely sucks to lose a guy like Willson, a guy who comes up each and every day and competes to the absolute maximum. It’s hard to find that.”
This is the awkward limbo Cubs gamers and employees discover themselves in: Waiting for one thing to occur every day whereas nonetheless making an attempt to win.
“The two days at Wrigley were the emotional ones because you knew you weren’t coming back,” outfielder Ian Happ stated Friday. “And now you’re just playing baseball and trying to help the team win. Getting back in the rhythm of that and really trying to enjoy every second the clubhouse.”
Happ has not acquired communication from president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer or anybody within the entrance workplace about whether or not he might be traded earlier than the deadline. But clearly Happ is getting ready as if that would be the end result.
“Players are last to know always with everything,” Happ stated. “Who knows what’s going to happen, if anything happens. … You’re obviously in tune to what’s going on, like the (MLB trade) rumors. Personal (trade) rumors, not so much, but just generally what’s happening as it happens.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com