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Stroman scorns Jays' FO: Players, fans don't like 'saving wins' for later

David Banks / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Marcus Stroman isn't quite done taking parting shots at the Toronto Blue Jays' front office.

The Blue Jays dealt the right-hander to the New York Mets on July 28 in the first of several moves that saw established major-league players shipped out for prospects ahead of Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline. The deals left Stroman questioning the franchise's motives.

"I want to win, always, every year," he told Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun. "I just want the organization to be invested in winning and going out there and putting the best product on the field and doing everything they can to get wins. I think that's what this game's about."

He added, "I don't think we (as players) are about saving wins for four or five years from now. I don't think fans like that, either."

Stroman also opened up about extension talks with his former team - or lack thereof.

"There was nothing offered ever from their perspective," Stroman said when asked about Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins' comments that a new contract was discussed. "If they do say that, it's a complete lie. It is what it is. That's the truth. I'm not going to beat around that.

"It's pretty apparent. I've been waiting to take some type of deal since I've been there. I've been offered nothing."

The 28-year-old also pointed out a key difference between Blue Jays' playoff teams from 2015-16 and the 2019 edition that boasts one of the worst records in the league.

"I think there was a huge focus on winning, and we put guys in the clubhouse who wanted to win and who had won and who had performed at the big-league level," he said. "We had that, mixed with some of the young guys, which is extremely important. It's hard to win when everybody on the roster is young."

Stroman accrued a 3.76 ERA with 635 strikeouts in 789 2/3 innings over six seasons with Toronto.

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