The Cincinnati Reds' search for pitching may be taking them north of the border, as they reportedly have interest in Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
However, Morosi reports the Blue Jays aren't currently engaged in any serious trade talks with teams regarding the 27-year-old.
Stroman is coming off a down year that saw him miss significant time due to shoulder and blister issues. After throwing over 200 innings in both 2016 and 2017, he tossed 102 1/3 innings in 2018 while posting career-worsts in ERA (5.54) and WHIP (1.48).
Still, Stroman crafted a 62.1 percent ground-ball rate last season and once again excelled at limiting the long ball in an extremely hitter-friendly division. The 2017 AL Gold Glove winner also continued to play excellent defense, as he was worth four defensive runs saved in 2018 and didn't commit an error.
Stroman is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $7.2 million in arbitration this season. He's not eligible for free agency until after the 2020 campaign.
The Reds' starting pitching was among the worst in baseball in 2018 as they finished last in the NL Central.
In addition to Stroman, Cincinnati has been connected to a plethora of big names in the early stages of this offseason, including Seattle Mariners left-hander James Paxton and New York Yankees right-hander Sonny Gray, among others.
