Former Blue Devil Marcus Stroman took a disappointing 2-0 loss at the hands of the division rival New York Yankees in his latest start Wednesday night, making the four-team race for the AL East title even more interesting.
Stroman pitched a solid game, striking out eight batters in five innings of work. Both of his two earned runs came in the third inning, when Starlin Castro hit a solo home run and Brian McCann hit an RBI single to cap a two-out rally after Stroman surrendered a double and a walk. Stroman and Toronto's bullpen did not give up a run the rest of the night, but the usually potent Blue Jays’ offense fell flat and was shut out by a combined effort of three Yankee pitchers. Stroman's record dropped to 9-7 with the loss.
After a slow start to the season, Stroman's performance gradually picked up during the summer. Despite putting up a 6-4 record through the month of June—largely due to the Blue Jays’ strong offensive production—he struggled mightily, posting a 5.33 ERA and 6.3 K/9 rate. But since the beginning of July, the 5-foot-8 right-hander has posted a win-loss record of 3-3 with less run support to go along with a 3.52 ERA and 9.4 K/9 rate, including a career-high 13-strikeout outing August 1 against the Houston Astros.
This drastic improvement in performance is an encouraging sign for Stroman, who looked like an ace in the making for the Blue Jays during the past two seasons.
The Blue Jays are in the thick of a four-team race for the AL East title, and two or even three of these teams will likely make the playoffs by either winning the division or earning a wild card. Toronto is currently in a wild-card position, one game behind the Boston Red Sox for the division lead but barely ahead of the Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers for the first wild-card spot.
Stroman appears to be staying loose and relaxed in the heat of the playoff race entering the final few weeks of the season.
Smile through adversity. #HDMH pic.twitter.com/J9k4VIuUs2
— Marcus Stroman (@MStrooo6) September 8, 2016
With their combination of pitching and offensive power, the Blue Jays are unlikely to relinquish their playoff position down the stretch—Baseball Prospectus currently predicts that they have a 78 percent chance to make the playoffs. In that event, we may get to see Stroman improve on his mediocre postseason performance a year ago, when he won his only decision but had a 4.19 ERA in three starts.
With Chris Capuano sidelined since mid-May with a left elbow injury, Stroman is the only Duke alum currently active in the MLB.
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