March 3, 2021 12:08 PM : Stroman struck out two over two perfect innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League start against the Astros, Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News reports. He threw 30 pitches while mixing in a new split-finger changeup. "You never know until you throw it against hitters," Stroman said on finally using his new pitch. "It can feel filthy, it can feel nasty, it can feel like the best pitch ever. But until you actually get out there and throw it in a game and see how hitters react to it, I feel like you can't actually consider that pitch a weapon until you do so."
Analysis: The right-hander opted out of last season before accepting the Mets' $18.9 million qualifying offer for 2021, but Stroman apparently spent his time off wisely by adding to his arsenal. The new split-change generated a swing and miss from Michael Brantley on Tuesday, and if it becomes a put-away pitch for the 29-year-old, it could mean big things for him as he heads into free agency. Stroman has a solid 3.76 ERA and 1.29 WHIP for his career, but a lackluster 19.6 percent strikeout rate could create a soft market for his services.