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Reds rumors: Trade interest in right-hander Marcus Stroman

ByDrew Koch|
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 02: Marcus Stroman #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the first inning during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 2, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 02: Marcus Stroman #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the first inning during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 2, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

With the Cincinnati Reds looking for pitching help, the latest bit of Reds rumors have the Reds interested Toronto’s in Marcus Stroman.

The most recent bit of Reds rumors surround, you guessed it, starting pitching. The Cincinnati Reds are desperate to improve their starting rotation and appear to be looking at potential trade scenarios in order to make that happen. The latest rumor has the Reds showing interest in Blue Jays ace Marcus Stroman.

The Reds are said to have trade interest in several pitchers including Corey Kluber, James Paxton, and Sonny Gray. The problem is, Cincinnati isn’t the only franchise looking to upgrade their pitching staff. However, this latest rumor from Jon Morosi is quite intriguing.

Morosi hints that the Blue Jays are not actively shopping Stroman, but that the Cincinnati Reds have shown an interest. You know what they say…where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Something might be cooking on the Hot Stove between these two teams.

Stroman would definitely be an upgrade for the Reds. However, 2018 was not his finest hour. After going a combined 22-19 with a 3.73 ERA in 2016-17, Stroman went 4-9 last season with a 5.54 ERA.

Stroman started only 19 games last season and he went on the disabled two different times, one of which was a six-week span for shoulder fatigue. The previous two seasons, however, he started 32 (2017) and 33 (2018) games.

Throughout his entire career, Stroman’s got an ERA below 4.00 and an ERA+ of 92. One stat that jumps out though is Stroman’s BB9, which has increased every season. Last season saw Stroman’s BB9 hit 3.2. Walks can become problematic at Great American Ball Park when a base on balls turns into a multi-run homer.

The question with this, and so many other Reds rumors for that matter, is what are the Cincinnati Reds willing to give up in order to get a top-of-the-rotation type of starter? Would the Reds move on from one of their top prospects like Nick Senzel or Taylor Trammell? Could a veteran like Scooter Gennett be part of a trade?

No one really knows what the Cincinnati front office is thinking at this point in the offseason. The only thing we know is that the Reds are turning over every stone in the search for starting pitching. Might a trade for Marcus Stroman be the Reds first big splash of the offseason?

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