Time really does fly.
Recently, RocNation Sports announced the celebration of former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman. The team’s first-round pick from the 2012 MLB Draft has completed 10 years of Major League Baseball service.
Congrats on 10 years of @MLB service, @STR0 💎⚾️ pic.twitter.com/FnF2KmszCQ
— Roc Nation Sports (@RocNationSports) August 21, 2024
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RocNaton Sports is owned by Shawn Carter, also known as the legendary rapper, Jay-Z. RocNaton Sports is the agency representing and promoting various high-end athletes and talents, one of those being Stroman.
Stroman was drafted twice, the first time being out of high school in 2009 by the Washington Nationals. He honored a commitment to Duke University where he completed three years and re-entered the draft. The Toronto Blue Jays picked him up in the first round of the 2012 draft, 22nd overall.
His quick rise through the minors landed him in the Major Leagues on May 4th, 2014 where he made his debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a reliever. His next year was Toronto’s first American League East divisional title since 1993. This was huge for the Blue Jays, the city of Toronto, and for the right-hander.
Stroman was highly dependable in the postseason, labelled a “big game pitcher.” The Stro-show entered the playoffs in 2016 as well, starting for the Blue Jays in their wild-card game with the Baltimore Orioles. The next year in 2017, the New York-born pitcher chose to wear the stars and stripes as a part of Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. They went on to win the World Championship, and Stroman was named tournament MVP. He put together an excellent regular season and finished eighth in AL Cy Young voting and won the AL Gold Glove for pitchers.
In 2019 he was named to his first All-Star game, finishing with a 2.96 ERA in Toronto. He then went to Queens, New York and was a Met in the National League after a trade deadline move. After sitting out the shortened 2020 season, Stro played a full season with the Mets in 2021, posting an impressive 3.02 ERA over 33 starts.
After a two-year stint with the Chicago Cubs, Stroman tested the market and expressed interest in “coming home and Yankees GM Brian Cashman brought him back to New York City. Stroman was signed to play in the Bronx and that’s where he wanted to be.
The love for Stroman and Stroman’s love for the Bronx is reciprocated mutually. His big-game dynamic demeanour and his mentality make him the right fit for the Yankees and the big lights. His aggressiveness and characteristics scream “Bronx, New York” and he is built for such a fanbase and environment. Stroman was loved everywhere and he meshed with each place he’s been a part of. He embraced Toronto culture to the fullest and was a staple in our race divisional pennant and playoff berth.
These 10 years have been eventful, taxing, and rewarding for Stroman. This fall, he’ll be able to celebrate 10 years in the Major Leagues with his first meaningful run into October since the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Blue Jays.