Marcus Stroman will represent Blue Jays at All-Star Game

The Toronto Blue Jays’ best pitcher — and frankly, best player — will also be their All-Star Game representative as Marcus Stroman has earned his first All-Star berth.

“When Charlie [Montoyo] called me into the office I had a hunch,” the pitcher said. “I haven’t gotten called in all year and considering today was the day it got released I had a hunch. It brought tears to my eyes when he first told me.”

Stroman will make his trip to Cleveland on the strength of a season where his excellence has run in stark contrast to the rotation around him. Apart from Trent Thornton, almost no one the Blue Jays have sent to the mound with regularity has produced, making Stroman the club’s “stopper.”

“Every time he pitches we’ve got a chance to win,” Montoyo said. “Early on when he was pitching he didn’t have any run support and he kept us in every game. He’s been an All-Star.”

The right-hander has a strong 3.18 ERA to his name along with a solid FIP of 3.79 in 104.2 innings. His formula of a high groundball rate with relatively few strikeouts, walks and home runs, continues to be effective in his sixth major-league season. Stroman has changed a little bit stylistically this year, focusing more on breaking balls and cutters, but the results have been consistent.

“I’m not someone who goes out and tries to strike out the world,” he said. “I try to go deep into games and keep my team in it as much as I can.”

After Saturday’s game, when he dealt with a minor injury scare, the 28-year-old claimed the All-Star Game wasn’t on his radar.

“Not at all,” he said. “I’ve been doing a good job focusing on what I need to focus on. Everything outside of that is outside of that. Obvious if I make it I’ll be ecstatic, if I don’t I’ll be in the Hamptons with my family.”

On Sunday he embraced the announcement.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “Definitely one of the bright spots of my career. To come from what I had last year, the worst year I’ve had, battling injuries. I made it such a premium to do everything I can to get back, and it’s just a testament to everyone around me. We all operate as one unit.”

Stroman’s All-Star journey bears some resemblance to Roy Halladay’s in 2009, seeing as it’ll be surrounded by trade speculation. The starter appears to be on the block given his proximity to free agency (after the 2020 season) and the Blue Jays’ distance from contention. He can expect to field a number of questions on that situation in Cleveland.

Other possible All-Star candidates for the Blue Jays included lock-down closer Ken Giles, surprising breakout star Eric Sogard, and the sizzling Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Each of those three have missed time due to injury or demotion, and Stroman’s continuous success this season likely played a role in his selection.

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