The Chicago Cubs aren’t exactly feeling the love from projection systems like PECOTA, but for pitcher Marcus Stroman, the team only has one goal.
“We’re ready to win now,” he told Marquee Sports Network this week. “When you pair that with the talent we have coming through our system…you never know how it’s going to play out. We’re built to win, and we’re built to endure adversity.”
The Cubs made a high-profile move in signing Stroman prior to the 2022 season, and they went a step further this offseason, bringing in Jameson Taillon to bolster their rotation and Cody Bellinger, Dansby Swanson, Trey Mancini and Tucker Barnhart to add some depth to their lineup.
While PECOTA projections have the Cubs winning 77 games and finishing fourth in the National League Central, Stroman is optimistic that the team is carrying the right mentality into spring training.
“Everybody in the clubhouse is extremely competitive, and at the end of the day, we’re going to go out there and try to win,” he told media in Mesa on Wednesday. “There’s no other mindset besides that. We’re going to go out there and compete every single day and see where it takes us.”
Stroman appeared in 25 games for the Cubs in 2022, with a 6-7 record and a 3.50 ERA in those starts. He struck out 119 batters in 138.2 innings of work for the North Siders.
The team’s rotation will be worth keeping an eye on this spring, with Taillon joining Stroman and Justin Steele as three guaranteed components. Drew Smyly will also likely make the Opening Day rotation, leaving one spot for guys like Adrian Sampson, Hayden Wesneski and Javier Assad to compete over.
Click here to follow the Cubs Talk Podcast.
