If star pitcher Marcus Stroman has indeed out-priced his stay on the Cubs, it doesn't necessarily mean goodbye forever. But a Blue Jays reunion would be awkward.
Staring into a wispy crystal ball at this moment, the Chicago Cubs and Marcus Stroman may be heading for a break.
The 43-48 Cubs are seven games out of first place, and with the trade deadline coming up in two weeks, the club may be primed to shop several beloved players like Cody Bellinger and Stroman.
But staring back into that crystal ball, would trading Stroman away mean the two sides never cross paths again?
According to Stroman himself, he hopes to return to Chicago even after a trade. That's just how much he loves the organization. Stroman noted he's "open" to a contract extension this year with the Cubs but doesn't think it's going to happen given the harsh realities of the business.
In a bit of an emotional pre-farewell message, Stroman said:
"I know I would love to stay here, but a lot of that's out of our control. At the end of the day, it's a business, so we have to treat it as such, even though we have this love for this fan base and this organization.
I love everything about the city of Chicago and this organization. No matter what happens, I would hope that they'd be in the mix in the offseason when it comes to my free agency."
Consider it a warning to any team interested in trading for him in August. According to Bruce Levine of The Score, the Toronto Blue Jays has expressed "strong interest" in Stroman.
This in itself could be awkward given the strong words Stroman aimed at Jays GM Ross Atkins when he was traded to the Mets in 2019.
"Nobody's left, it seems like [management] wanted to get rid of some people, get everybody out and just start their own regime. So … it's a business. It is what it is," Stroman said at the time.
"I've made the All-Star Game. I had a Gold Glove. I threw back-to-back [seasons] of 200 innings and I never heard a word from any of those guys [in the front office]. … There was nothing offered ever from their perspective. If they do say that, it's a complete lie. I'm not going to beat around that. I've been waiting to take some type of deal since I've been there. I've been offered nothing."
Thankfully, Stroman only has good things to say about the north side of Chicago.
Cubs-Blue Jays trade for Marcus Stroman could get awkward
Stroman, who has an opt-out clause in his contract, didn't say anything disparaging about a potential Blue Jays reunion of late, nor about joining any other team for that matter.
But based on Stroman's strong sentiments toward Chicago, it seems possible that the 32-year-old would try and maneuver his way back to the Cubs even if, say, the Jays picked him up in August.
Back in 2014, Stroman worked his way up the Blue Jays' farm system, earning an All-Star nod before getting traded to the Mets in 2019. In 20 starts in 2023, he owns a 10-6 record and has a sparkling 2.88 ERA.
The ace just came off a spectacular outing in Saturday's win against the Red Sox, allowing one run and three hits in six innings. If the Cubs become sellers at the deadline, a reliable starter like Stroman makes out to be one of Chicago's most coveted pieces and could turn a playoff contender into a World Series champion.
However, any future team should be warned: Stroman still carries a great deal of love and respect for the Cubs organization and may consider his real home to be Wrigley Field.
