MLB rumors: Padres to chase Mets’ All-Star starting pitcher in free agency

The San Diego Padres could be interested in signing New York Mets free-agent right-hander Marcus Stroman.

The San Diego Padres entered the 2021 MLB season with great expectations after trading for Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Blake Snell, Chicago Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish and Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove.

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Adding them to a roster which included sluggers Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. was thought to give the Padres a team which could contend for the National League West division title this year.

But the Padres flopped in 2021, going 79-83 and finishing 28 games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants.

So it’s back to the drawing board for San Diego, which could look to add even more pitching for 2022.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that “According to people familiar with preliminary deliberations, the Padres are expected to pursue another veteran starter, with free agent Marcus Stroman having been among the names mentioned.”

The 30-year-old Stroman, who was an All-Star in 2019, played the 2021 season on one-year, $18.9 million contract with the New York Mets. He tied his career worst with 13 losses this year, but his 3.02 ERA was eighth-best in the National League.

The Mets acquired Stroman in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays before the 2019 deadline. The right-hander sat out the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.

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