Report: Blue Jays have 'strong interest' in reunion with All-Star hurler

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly interested in a reunion with a player who used to be one of the best on their roster.

Chicago Cubs ace Marcus Stroman has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate heading into the deadline. According to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, the Blue Jays are “one of the teams that have expressed strong interest” in Stroman.

Levine added that the Cubs and Blue Jays have done “due diligence” on each other’s farm systems.

If the Cubs do make Stroman available, the Blue Jays figure to have plenty of competition on the trade market. The right-hander is 10-6 with a 2.88 ERA in 20 starts this season and just made his second All-Star Game appearance.

Stroman, 32, began his career in Toronto. He pitched for the Blue Jays for six seasons before being traded to the New York Mets at the 2019 deadline. Stroman missed the beginning of the 2020 season with a torn calf muscle and then opted out due to the pandemic.

After making 33 starts and compiling a 3.02 ERA with the Mets in 2021, Stroman signed a three-year, $71 million free-agent deal with the Cubs. He recently made it clear in a tweet that he is not pleased with his current situation.