Pedro Strop is weighing multiple contract offers

Pedro Strop has been one of the most reliable relievers in Cubs history. Despite his poor year in 2019, most of the last seven seasons have been consistent and productive for the righthander who was acquired along with Jake Arrieta from the Orioles in 2013 for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger. (That deal would have been a great one even if Strop had been the only return. Getting Arrieta makes it one of the best in franchise history.)

Strop is reported Monday to have several contract offers, and the Cubs could be one of the teams involved:

Presuming Ben Nicholson-Smith’s list is correct, the Rangers are likely the American League team that’s made an offer. Strop spent three years in the Rangers organization (2009-11) and pitched in 33 games for them, though not with very good results (7.24 ERA, 1.902 WHIP).

Three N.L. teams are mentioned in Nicholson-Smith’s tweet, the Marlins, Brewers and Cubs. The Marlins make some sense for Strop; they have been stockpiling veteran players like this (Jonathan Villar, Matt Kemp, Jesus Aguilar, Corey Dickerson among them), presumably to help mentor some of their younger players.

It goes without saying that I’d hate to see Strop in a Brewers uniform.

I am hoping that the Cubs can find some way to fit Strop into the payroll for 2020. He made $6.5 million last year, and at age 34 and coming off a bad year he’d likely have to accept less money, and the Cubs have apparently self-imposed a cap of the $208 million first luxury tax level. Nevertheless, Strop, if healthy, can still be a productive pitcher and could serve that same mentor role for Cubs young pitchers. While his overall numbers in 2019 were poor, he did have a very good September (11 appearances, nine innings. 0.00 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, 14 strikeouts). He’s always been highly-regarded by the Cubs organization and fans and I think would be a useful player to keep around.

As always, we await developments.