Marcus Stroman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marcus Stroman |
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Stroman with the Blue Jays in 2016
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| New York Yankees – No. 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | ||||||||||||||
| Born: May 1, 1991 Medford, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| May 4, 2014, for the Toronto Blue Jays | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through July 4, 2025) |
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| Win–loss record | 88–86 | |||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.77 | |||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 1,216 | |||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Marcus Earl Stroman, born on May 1, 1991, is an American professional baseball pitcher. He currently plays for the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Yankees, he played for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs.
Even though he is 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) tall, which is shorter than most pitchers, Stroman has become a very successful player. He is one of only a few pitchers under 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) to start a game in MLB in the 21st century.
Stroman went to Duke University and played college baseball there. The Blue Jays picked him in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft. He started playing in MLB in 2014. He won a Gold Glove Award in 2017, which is given to the best defensive players. He was also named an All-Star in 2019.
Stroman has played for both the United States and Puerto Rico in international games. In 2017, he helped the U.S. team win the World Baseball Classic. He was even named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Contents
Early Life and Family
Marcus Stroman was born in Medford, New York, on May 1, 1991. His parents are Earl Stroman and Adlin Auffant. They divorced when he was in fifth grade. His mother is Puerto Rican, which means he can play for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. His father works as a police detective. Marcus has a brother named Jayden and a sister named Sabria. His cousin, Erskine Kelley, also played baseball in the minor leagues.
When he was six years old in 1997, Stroman appeared on the Nickelodeon game show Figure It Out.
Playing Baseball as a Youngster
Stroman went to Patchogue-Medford High School in Medford. He had a friendly rivalry with Steven Matz, who was a friend and later a teammate on the New York Mets. They played against each other in high school. They were also teammates on a special travel team called the Paveco Storm. Scouts from every MLB team watched them play in a big game in 2009.
The Washington Nationals drafted Stroman in the 18th round of the 2009 MLB draft. But he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to go to Duke University to play college baseball for the Duke Blue Devils baseball team.
At Duke, Stroman set a school record for strikeouts. He struck out 290 batters in 222 innings. He also played other positions like second base and shortstop. In 2010 and 2011, he played summer baseball for the Orleans Firebirds. He did very well there and was even named an all-star. He is now in the CCBL Hall of Fame.
Stroman graduated from Duke University in 2016 with a degree in sociology.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Many experts thought Stroman was ready for the major leagues right away. The Blue Jays picked him 22nd overall in the 2012 MLB draft. He was the first player from Duke ever chosen in the first round. He started playing for the Vancouver Canadians and then moved up to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
In 2012, Stroman was suspended for 50 games. This was because he tested positive for a banned stimulant. He said he didn't know he was taking it in a supplement. After his suspension, he returned to play for the Fisher Cats in 2013. He was ranked as one of the top prospects for the Blue Jays. In 2014, he started the season playing for the Buffalo Bisons, a Triple-A team.
Time with the Toronto Blue Jays
First Years: 2014–2015
Stroman joined the Blue Jays in MLB on May 3, 2014. He was considered the team's second-best young player at the time. He got his first MLB win on May 6. On May 30, he made his first start as a pitcher in the Major Leagues. He pitched very well, giving up only one run and striking out six batters.
On September 8, he pitched his first complete game and shutout. This means he pitched the entire game and didn't let the other team score any runs. He only needed 93 pitches to beat the Chicago Cubs 8–0.
Later in September 2014, Stroman was suspended for five games. This was for intentionally throwing a pitch at an opposing player. After his suspension, he moved to the bullpen to pitch in relief. He even got his first career save. He finished 2014 with 11 wins and a 3.65 ERA.
In October 2014, Stroman changed his uniform number to 6 to honor his grandmother. During spring training in 2015, he tore a ligament in his left knee. He had surgery to fix it. While he was recovering, he went back to Duke University to finish his college degree.
Stroman worked hard to recover and returned to play in September 2015. He pitched five innings and got a win in his first game back. He finished the 2015 regular season with a 4–0 record. He also played in his first postseason game in 2015 against the Texas Rangers.
Success and Awards: 2016–2017
In 2016, Stroman was chosen to be the Blue Jays' Opening Day starting pitcher. He set a new personal record with 9 strikeouts in a game on May 1. He later broke that record with 13 strikeouts in August. He finished the 2016 season with 9 wins. He was known for getting a lot of ground balls from batters.
Stroman started the 2016 American League Wild Card Game against the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched well, helping the Blue Jays win and move on in the playoffs.
In 2017, Stroman won his first career hit in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He also hit his first career home run against the Atlanta Braves. He was only the second Blue Jays pitcher to hit a home run.
Stroman had a great 2017 season, with 13 wins and a 3.09 ERA. He pitched over 200 innings for the second year in a row. He won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his excellent defense as a pitcher. The baseball writers also named him the Blue Jays' Pitcher of the Year for 2017.
Injuries and All-Star Nod: 2018–2019
Stroman had a tough start to the 2018 season with some injuries. He was placed on the disabled list because of shoulder fatigue. He also dealt with blisters on his pitching hand. He finished the 2018 season with 4 wins.
In 2019, Stroman was again the Blue Jays' Opening Day starter. On June 30, he was named to the 2019 MLB All-Star Game. This was his first time being chosen as an All-Star.
Moving to the New York Mets
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On July 28, 2019, the Toronto Blue Jays traded Stroman to the New York Mets. He played 11 games for the Mets in 2019, winning 4 of them. Overall in 2019, between both teams, he had 10 wins and a 3.22 ERA.
For the 2020 season, Stroman changed his uniform number to 0. He missed the beginning of the 2020 season due to a calf muscle injury. Later, he chose not to play for the rest of the 2020 season.
In 2021, Stroman was a key pitcher for the Mets. He led their starting pitchers with 10 wins and 179 innings pitched.
Playing for the Chicago Cubs
On December 1, 2021, Stroman signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. He became the first Cubs player ever to wear the uniform number 0. He was the Cubs' Opening Day starter for the 2023 season. He was also the first pitcher to get a violation for the new pitch clock rule.
Stroman was named to the 2023 MLB All-Star Game again in 2023. However, he decided not to play in the game to rest. In August, he was placed on the injured list with a hip issue. He later found out he had a rib cage cartilage fracture. He returned to play in mid-September. After the 2023 season, Stroman chose to become a free agent.
Joining the New York Yankees
On January 17, 2024, Stroman signed a two-year contract with the New York Yankees. He pitched in 29 starts and one relief game for the Yankees in 2024. He had a 4.31 ERA. Even though he had some struggles later in the season, he was added to the Yankees' roster for the ALCS playoffs.
Playing for His Country
In December 2016, Stroman announced he would play for the United States national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He made three starts for the team. In the championship game, Stroman pitched six innings without giving up any runs or hits against Team Puerto Rico. This helped Team USA win their first WBC championship. After the game, Stroman was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was also chosen for the All-World Baseball Classic team. In 2023, he played for the Puerto Rico national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
How He Pitches
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Stroman uses six different types of pitches. His four-seam fastball and two-seam fastball are usually around 93 miles per hour (150 km/h) and 92 miles per hour (148 km/h). He also throws a curveball at 82 miles per hour (132 km/h), a changeup at 85 miles per hour (137 km/h), a cutter at 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), and a slider at 85 miles per hour (137 km/h). Since 2015, he has used his two-seam fastball more often.
Life Outside Baseball
Stroman has many tattoos. One large tattoo on his left shoulder honors his grandmother, Gloria Major. She used to go to all his high school games. Other tattoos include his hometown's area code 631, pictures of his parents, and a Gold Glove Award. He also has tattoos of the Air Jordan logo, quotes, and the flag of Puerto Rico. Some of his tattoos include the words "God bless me," "God save me," and "family" in Spanish. He also has "blessed," "mamma's boy," "daddy's gift," "dreamchaser," "BElieve in YOUrself," "smile," "mom," "dad," "height doesn't measure heart," and "breaking stereotypes."
In 2015, Stroman officially trademarked the phrases "Height Doesn't Measure Heart" and "HDMH." He has worked with companies like New Era, Nike, and Jordan Brand to create clothes with his HDMH logo. He once said he is exactly 5 feet 7.25 inches (1.7082 m) tall.
Stroman appeared on a song remix for rapper Mike Stud's album These Days. Mike Stud was also his teammate at Duke.
Stroman enjoys collecting wine. He has a special wine cellar in his home with over 400 bottles. He also practices Transcendental Meditation.
See also
In Spanish: Marcus Stroman para niños
