Pedro Strop – MLB Trade Rumors

Pedro Strop Eyeing Comeback Attempt

Steve Adams — Mon, 08 May 2023 19:52:17 +0000

Longtime Cubs reliever Pedro Strop is eyeing a comeback attempt, as the right-hander himself made clear when tweeting out video of himself throwing a bullpen session this weekend. “I want to come back,” Strop wrote in yesterday’s tweet. It’s the second time in the past couple weeks that he’s alluded to a comeback by tweeting out video of a ’pen session, though yesterday’s was more direct than the first.

Strop, who’ll turn 38 in June, hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2021 and has thrown just 4 1/3 big league innings since the conclusion of the 2019 season. He’s pitched for los Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League in each of the past two offseasons, combining for 23 2/3 innings of 3.80 ERA ball with a 25.2% strikeout rate and 11.6% walk rate. Strop also tossed 14 innings in the 2021 Mexican League, allowing five runs (3.21 ERA) on 14 hits and five walks with 16 punchouts.

Strop’s last season with a significant amount of time spent in the Majors was back in 2019, when he limped to a 4.97 ERA in 41 2/3 frames. His 27.5% strikeout rate that year remained plenty strong, but Strop’s 11.2% walk rate was one of the highest of his career and his velocity dipped to what was then a career-low 93.6 mph. In two subsequent seasons, he tossed 4 1/3 frames between the Reds and Cubs but walked eight of his 25 opponents in that time while sitting at 91.8 mph with his heater.

Prior to those struggles, Strop was a durable and excellent reliever over a six-year stretch with the Cubs. Acquired alongside Jake Arrieta in an absolute heist of a trade with the Orioles, Strop’s first six seasons in Chicago resulted in a 2.63 ERA over 331 1/3 innings. He pitched to a sub-3.00 ERA every season, fanned 28.2% of his total opponents and walked 9.5% of them. He picked up 19 saves and another 114 holds during regular-season play along the way, and he also excelled in the postseason. Through 17 total innings, he allowed just four runs (2.12 ERA) on eight hits and six walks with 12 strikeouts — including two scoreless frames during the Cubs’ 2016 World Series run.

Time will tell whether Strop actually gets another opportunity with an affiliated club and whether he can take that hypothetical opportunity a step further and ultimately return to a big league mound. He certainly wouldn’t be the first pitcher to engineer a successful big league return in his late 30s, though. Daniel Bard returned from a seven-year MLB absence at age 35 back in 2020, and Rich Hill was also 35 by the time he kicked off a late-career renaissance that he’s still continuing into his age-43 season.

Each MLB Team’s Players On WBC Rosters

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 01:30:45 +0000

The World Baseball Classic is returning this year, the first time since 2017. The quadrennial event was supposed to take place in 2021 but was scuttled by the pandemic, now returning after a six-year absence. Rosters for the tournament were announced today and those can be found at this link. Here is a breakdown of which players from each MLB team are set to take participate. Quick caveat that this list is fluid and might be changed as more information becomes available.

Without further ado…

Angels

Astros

Athletics

Blue Jays

Braves

Brewers

Cardinals

Cubs

Diamondbacks

Dodgers

Giants

Guardians

Marlins

Mariners

Mets

Nationals

Orioles

Padres

Phillies

Pirates

Rangers

Rays

Red Sox

Reds

Rockies

Royals

Tigers

Twins

White Sox

Yankees

Cubs Grant Pedro Strop His Release

Steve Adams — Wed, 05 May 2021 19:19:18 +0000

Right-hander Pedro Strop has asked his release from the Cubs, who have granted the request, tweets Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. He’s still in good standing with the organization, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers adds, indicating this was an amicable parting of ways. MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets that the team remains open to bringing Strop back in the future.

Strop was away from the Cubs on a leave of absence due to personal reasons. Details surrounding that absence were not revealed, and it’s not clear at this point whether he’ll pursue an opportunity with another club. He pitched two shutout innings for the Cubs in 2021, but as of this weekend, Strop had returned to his home in the Dominican Republic.

Set to turn 36 next month, Strop has spent parts of 13 years in the Majors — eight of them with the Cubs. He came to the organization alongside Jake Arrieta in the franchise-altering deal that sent Scott Feldman to the Oriole and went on to become one of the team’s most vital relivers, pitching to a sub-3.00 ERA in his first six seasons in Chicago. Strop has tallied 375 innings in relief for the Cubs over the years and logged a 2.88 ERA while more than 28 percent of his opponents. He’s also been nails in the playoffs, logging a career 1.86 ERA in 19 1/3 postseason frames.

All told, Strop carries a lifetime 3.20 ERA through 505 2/3 big league innings split between the Cubs, Orioles, Rangers and Reds. If he indeed decides to explore other opportunities, there will no doubt be interest in him given his lengthy track record.

Pedro Strop Takes Personal Leave From Cubs

Mark Polishuk — Mon, 03 May 2021 02:52:07 +0000

Right-hander Pedro Strop is back home in the Dominican Republic on a leave of absence for personal reasons, NBC Sports Chicago’s Gordon Wittenmyer reports. These seem to be all the details known at this time, as the Cubs haven’t given an official comment on the situation.

A member of the Cubs from 2013-19, Strop returned to the club on a minor league deal last September, with an injury-riddled and brief (2 1/3 innings) stint with the Reds representing his only action in the 2020 season. Strop signed a new minors contract with Chicago in February and then made it to the MLB roster for a pair of scoreless innings over two appearances in April. He had been working at the Cubs’ alternate training site since April 17.

It isn’t clear when, or even if, Strop could return to action. Wittenmyer notes that Strop wasn’t included on the Triple-A roster (or the rosters of any of the Cubs’ affiliates), which is notable since the minor league season begins this week.

Cubs Reinstate Brandon Workman, Dan Winkler; Reassign Pedro Strop

Connor Byrne — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 17:54:54 +0000

April 17: Chicago announced they’re reinstating Workman and Winkler from the IL in advance of this afternoon’s game against the Braves. Steele has been optioned to the team’s alternate training site in South Bend, while Strop has been reassigned to the alternate site. Under the league’s 2021 health and safety protocols, Strop needs not be exposed to waivers to be removed from the 40-man roster as a COVID-19 replacement.

April 12: The Cubs have placed three members of their bullpen – right-handers Jason Adam, Brandon Workman and Dan Winkler – on the COVID-19 injured list, Robert Murray of FanSided was among those to report. The move came “out of abundance of caution” after bullpen coach Chris Young tested positive for COVID-19. To take the pitchers’ places, the Cubs recalled fellow hurlers Brad Wieck and Justin Steele, and they selected Pedro Strop’s contract, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com.

It’s unclear how much time Adam, Workman and Winkler will miss, but all three are quarantining away from the club, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets. The Cubs have received a combined 11 1/3 innings from Adam, Workman and Winkler this season. Adam has been the most successful of the three, having given up one earned run and struck out seven hitters in 3 2/3 innings. Workman has surrendered three runs (two earned) over 3 2/3 frames, but he has totaled five strikeouts. Winkler has yielded one ER on two hits and struck out five across four innings, though he has succeeded despite walking a batter per nine.

The Cubs signed Strop to a minor league contract in the offseason, and the righty is now in line for his second MLB stint with the organization. Now 35 years old, Strop was highly effective for most of his prior Cubs tenure, which ran from 2013-19. He surpassed the 60-frame mark in three of those seasons and combined for 373 innings of 2.90 ERA ball. Strop temporarily left the Cubs to join the division-rival Reds in free agency entering the 2020 campaign, but he threw a mere 2 1/3 innings before Cincinnati designated him for assignment.

Cubs Re-Sign Cameron Maybin

Mark Polishuk — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 17:04:54 +0000

MARCH 28: Maybin has signed a new minor league deal with the Cubs and will report to their alternate training site.

MARCH 27: The Cubs have released outfielder Cameron Maybin, the team announced. Three other players (Shelby Miller, Pedro Strop, Rafael Ortega) on minor league deals were assigned to the team’s minor league camp, as was right-hander Trevor Megill.

Maybin was first acquired by Chicago in a swap with the Tigers at last season’s trade deadline, and the veteran outfielder re-signed with the Cubs on a minors deal in February. Maybin’s 14th Major League campaign saw him hit .247/.307/.387 over 101 total plate appearances with Detroit and Chicago, and he also spent two weeks on the injured list due to a quad strain.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Maybin signed a new deal with the Cubs and remained in the organization as depth, or if the release means that the two sides are truly parting ways if Maybin wants to find a clearer MLB opportunity elsewhere. Jake Marisnick will handle fourth outfielder duties in Chicago, and the Cubs also have a couple of utilitymen in Eric Sogard and Ildemaro Vargas who can play the corner outfield in a pinch. On the minor league front, the Cubs have Ortega, Michael Hermosillo, Ian Miller, and Nick Martini as outfield options with some big league experience.

COVID Notes: 3/7/21

Mark Polishuk — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 17:27:59 +0000

The latest on coronavirus-related situations around baseball…

Latest Updates

Right-hander Pedro Strop is being held out of the Cubs’ training camp due to COVID protocol violations, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports (Twitter link). In regards to the earlier item about Franmil Reyes, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports that a now-deleted social media post revealed that Strop and Reyes were out together. A fixture in the Cubs’ bullpen from 2013-19, Strop rejoined the team on a minor league deal last month after pitching for the Reds in 2020.

Earlier Today

Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes are both being held out of Indians training camp for breaking health and safety protocols, manager Terry Francona told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mandy Bell and the Akron Beacon Journal’s Ryan Lewis). The players self-reported their violations, which included dining together at a restaurant and a haircut for Reyes on Friday. Ramirez and Reyes will have to test negative for COVID-19 before returning to camp, with Francona saying that he hopes to know more specifics later today about possible return dates.
The Red Sox officially removed catcher Kevin Plawecki from the COVID-19 injured list and returned Plawecki to the 40-man roster. A roster spot was created yesterday when the Blue Jays plucked reliever Joel Payamps away from the Sox on a waiver claim. Plawecki already cleared health protocols and returned to training with the team over a week ago.

Cubs To Sign Pedro Strop

Steve Adams — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:58:35 +0000

The Cubs have another reunion in the works, agreeing to a minor league contract and Spring Training invite with free-agent righty Pedro Strop, as first reported by Mike Rodriguez (Twitter link). Strop, a client QC Sports, will earn $800K if he makes the big league club.

Strop, acquired alongside Jake Arrieta in one of the more lopsided deals in recent memory, was with the Cubs from 2013-19 before an extremely brief, 2 1/3-inning stint with the Reds in 2020. He and Arrieta, who reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Cubs last week, could now both be back at Wrigley Field for the 2021 campaign.

A groin injury limited Strop’s time with the Reds in 2020, but his results even when on the mound weren’t particularly encouraging. It was a small sample, of course, but Strop walked six of the 15 batters he faced and also threw a wild pitch, indicating that his control wasn’t anywhere near its usual levels. It’s likely that the groin injury contributed to those struggles, but the Reds didn’t give him much of a chance to right the ship; Strop was designated for assignment immediately upon coming off the IL. He returned to the Cubs on a minor league deal but didn’t get back to the Majors.

Now healthy, the 35-year-old Strop should have a decent chance of making the team. The Cubs’ bullpen is largely unsettled behind closer Craig Kimbrel — and even he has yet to ever truly find consistency in Chicago. The Cubs reportedly agreed to a deal with Brandon Workman earlier this morning, and they’ve also signed lefty Andrew Chafin to a big league deal. Beyond that, they’ll rely on a host of journeymen and/or prospects with limited MLB track records. Rowan Wick, Dan Winkler, Duane Underwood Jr., Jason Adam and Brad Wieck are among the team’s other options in the ’pen.

Certainly, given his track record, Strop could have an inside track on a bullpen spot. The righty’s original seven-year stint with the Cubs, after all, was an undeniable success. He racked up 373 innings out of the Chicago bullpen, pitching to a 2.90 ERA with 28 saves, 110 holds, a 28.1 percent strikeout rate and a 9.7 percent walk rate. He added in 17 innings of 2.12 ERA ball in the postseason, including a pair of scoreless frames in the 2016 World Series.

There’s surely some sentimental value in the signing for Cubs fans, but it’s hard to overlook the fact that the team is putting together a patchwork bullpen for the third straight offseason. The combined $3.75MM the Cubs have spent on Workman and Chafin is the only guaranteed money invested in the bullpen this winter, and the club hasn’t succeeded in developing a reliable in-house reliever in years. To their credit, the organization has still posted middle-of-the-pack results in terms of bullpen ERA despite the lack of homegrown arms or notable additions, but it’s also tough to cobble together an effective relief corps in this manner each offseason.

Cubs To Sign Pedro Strop

Connor Byrne — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 22:08:04 +0000

Free-agent reliever Pedro Strop is returning to the Cubs, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports. The right-hander will go to their alternate training site.

This will be the second stint on the North Side for the 35-year-old Strop, who was a valuable part of Chicago’s bullpen from 2013-19. He accumulated 373 innings of 2.90 ERA/3.19 FIP pitching with 10.25 K/9, 3.55 BB/9 and a 53.2 percent groundball rate during that span, though Strop’s effectiveness waned last year during his final season of team control. He was unable to secure a multiyear contract in free agency as a result, instead signing a one-year, $1.825MM with NL Central rival Cincinnati.

The Strop-Reds union didn’t go well for either party, as he battled groin issues and only threw 2 1/3 innings with the club before it designated him for assignment Aug. 26. While Strop allowed just one earned run (three total) as a Red, he issued a whopping six walks and saw his average fastball, formerly in the 95-96 range, drop below 92. He’ll now try to work his way back to the majors with the Cubs, who lead their division by 3 1/2 games despite having received uninspiring production from their bullpen. The Cubs have, however, worked to upgrade their relief corps in recent days, as they landed Josh Osich and the currently injured Andrew Chafin at the trade deadline before reuniting with Strop.

Reds Designate Pedro Strop, Select Jose Garcia

Connor Byrne — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:34:01 +0000

The Reds announced that they’ve reinstated reliever Pedro Strop from the injured list and designated him for assignment. In other moves, the club selected infielder Jose Garcia and optioned outfielder Travis Jankowski to its alternate site.

If this is the end of the right-handed Strop’s run with the Reds, it’ll go down as short-lived and unmemorable. The former Ranger, Oriole and Cub signed with the Reds for a one-year, $1.825MM guarantee in the winter, but he threw a mere 2 1/3 innings of three-run ball (one earned) before landing on the IL earlier this month with a right groin strain. The 35-year-old Strop does bring a quality MLB track record to the table, though, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him end up with another team if he’s healthy.

The Reds aren’t wasting any time with Garcia, who will start at shortstop for the team Wednesday. It’s a big leap for the 22-year-old Garcia, who hasn’t yet played above High-A ball, where he slashed .280/.343/.436 with eight home runs and 15 stolen bases in 452 plate appearances last season. Garcia’s now the Reds’ seventh-ranked prospect at Baseball America, which writes that he has the potential “to jump to the top of Cincinnati’s system with continued performance.”

Injury Updates: Seager, Bummer, Senzel, Strop

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 08 Aug 2020 14:14:31 +0000

The latest on four notable players who left last night’s action due to potential injuries…

Corey Seager left the field during the third inning of the Dodgers’ 7-2 victory over the Giants due to what the club described as lower back discomfort. As manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick and other reporters, Seager will evaluated and likely won’t be in Saturday’s lineup. The shortstop suffered the injury the inning prior while diving for a ground-ball single off the bat of Chadwick Tromp, and was pulled an inning later after Seager was slow to cover second on the first out of the frame. Seager has been one of baseball’s hottest hitters early in the 2020 campaign, batting .340/.389/.600 with three homers.
White Sox left-hander Aaron Bummer left during the seventh inning of Chicago’s 2-0 win over Cleveland due to left biceps soreness. After tossing a pitch to Jose Ramirez, Bummer called the trainer to the mound and then departed the game. Bummer “just felt what he thought was a cramp in his biceps,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria told the Chicago Tribune’s LaMond Pope and other reporters. “Hopefully it’s no extended period of time but we are going to be careful with him.” Bummer’s departure came after 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, which dropped his ERA down to 1.23 through 7 1/3 frames of total work this season. The southpaw has quietly been a sturdy bullpen force since debuting in the 2017 season, which inspired the White Sox to sign Bummer to a five-year extension last February.
Both Nick Senzel and Pedro Strop left the Reds’ 8-3 victory over the Brewers with groin injuries. Senzel departed the game before re-taking his position in center field in the bottom of the fourth inning, while Strop left four pitches into an eighth inning at-bat against Brock Holt. Both players are day-to-day. Senzel already missed a few games this season for precautionary reasons (he tested negative for COVID-19 after experiencing symptoms) and he has been plagued with injuries throughout his young career, so the Reds are surely hopeful he can avoid another trip to the injured list. Strop has a 3.86 ERA through 2 1/3 innings in a Cincinnati uniform, after the veteran right-hander signed a one-year contract with the Reds last winter.

Pedro Strop On Cubs’ Interest In Free Agency

Connor Byrne — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 04:16:30 +0000

This past offseason was not one to remember for the Cubs, a big-market, high-payroll team that spent a mere $3.5MM on free agents after failing to make the playoffs in 2019. The club also lost quite a few of its own notable free agents, including reliever Pedro Strop, even though the right-hander revealed Wednesday that Chicago had interest in retaining him.

“They did try hard to bring me back. It’s just money-wise, they couldn’t, because they weren’t allowed [with] all the salary cap stuff; they wanted to try to stay below,” Strop said (via Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times).

The 34-year-old Strop, a Cub from 2013-19, ended up with the National League Central rival Reds on a modest single-season pact worth $1.825MM. The Cubs weren’t even willing to go to those lengths for Strop, however, thanks in part to their desire to stay under the luxury tax (not the nonexistent salary cap) this year. They were one of three teams that had to pay the tax in 2019, when they were forced to fork over a $7.6MM bill. The threshold then was $206MM, but it has climbed to $208MM for 2020. Although they spent next to nothing over the winter, the Cubs project to start this season about $6MM over that mark, per Jason Martinez of Roster Resource and FanGraphs.

Should the tax really be a concern for the deep-pocketed Cubs? Arguably not. Regardless, there’s a case that the Cubs won’t get hurt by letting Strop walk, even though a divisional foe grabbed him for a relatively inexpensive guarantee. Strop was an excellent late-game option for a large portion of his tenure in Chicago, but he took noticeable steps backward last year. For example, Strop posted the worst full-season run prevention marks of his career (4.97 ERA/4.53 FIP) and one of his highest walk rates (4.32 per nine) across 41 2/3 innings. Furthermore, after averaging more than 95 mph on his fastball in each of his prior seasons as a Cub, his mean velocity dropped to 93.7 in 2019. A Strop rebound remains possible, though, and the Cubs are left to hope he doesn’t return to his old form for a Reds team that bought low on him.

Mild Calf Tear Sidelines Brandon Morrow For 10-14 Days

TC Zencka — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 18:22:06 +0000

The whack-a-mole game that is Brandon Morrow’s body continues to keep him from his comeback. He threw earlier this week and appeared to be on track, until a twinge of pain in his calf during a run revealed a mild tear, per The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma (via Twitter). The injury is minor, with Morrow projected to be sidelined for a mere 10-14 days.

Still, given the absolute deluge of elbow, bicep, and back injuries Morrow has undergone over the last couple of seasons, it’s fair to sound the alarms here. This latest setback is innocuous enough in a vacuum, and yet it certainly takes on greater significance given Morrow’s recent history. Even a short-term injury such as this one has to put Morrow’s availability for opening day in question.

The Cubs bullpen is primed for a re-characterization after moving on from veterans like Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek, Brandon Kintzler, and Mike Montgomery, who was dealt to Kansas City at last year’s deadline. Morrow, 35, re-joined the Cubs on a minor league deal after being physically unable to contribute for the entire second season of his original two-year deal with Chicago. At this point, he has to be considered a long shot to make the team, fun as his reemergence would be.

Reds To Sign Pedro Strop

Connor Byrne — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 19:16:45 +0000

The Reds have agreed to a one-year, $1.825MM deal with free-agent reliever Pedro Strop, according to Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101 (Twitter link). The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal adds that incentives can push the value of the deal, which is still pending a physical, up to $3.5MM. Strop is represented by the Movement Management Group.

It’s surprising that the Reds are coming away with Strop, who was reportedly deciding between the Marlins and Rangers as of last week. Nevertheless, it’s the latest strike in free agency for Cincinnati, a team clearly bent on returning to contention after a six-year drought. The Reds rank near the top of the National League in offseason spending via the open market, and Strop will go down as the second free agent they’ve pilfered from the division-rival Cubs. They took outfielder Nick Castellanos from Chicago earlier this week, though he cost far more money ($64MM) than Strop will collect.

While the Reds have been aggressive in bettering their roster this winter, they haven’t been all that active in upgrading a bullpen that was middle of the pack last season. They’re returning some quality holdovers – Raisel Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen, Amir Garrett and Robert Stephenson, to name a few – and the hope is Strop will accompany them as a key late-game option for the club in 2020.

The right-handed Strop, 34, has been quietly terrific over the past several years. Dating back to his 2011 breakout with the Rangers and Orioles, Strop has combined for a 3.00 ERA/3.32 FIP with 9.82 K/9, 3.89 BB/9 and a 54.8 percent groundball rate across 483 2/3 innings. He was mostly excellent with the Cubs from 2013-19, including during their championship drought-breaking 2016 campaign, but fell on hard times last season.

A hamstring injury limiting Strop to 41 2/3 innings, his fewest since 2011, and he only managed a 4.97 ERA/4.53 FIP when he was healthy enough to pitch. He also saw his average fastball velocity dip from 95.1 mph the previous season to 93.6 mph. Despite the drop in heat, Strop did strike out 10.58 batters per nine and induce grounders at a 52.9 percent clip; however, he struggled with control and home runs. Strop walked 4.32 hitters per nine and yielded homers on a career-worst 18.8 percent of fly balls, though he was hardly alone in surrendering more dingers than usual during the most HR-friendly season in the history of the sport.

The Reds are, of course, hoping Strop’s HR-FB rate bounces back toward his career mean of 10.1 percent. Regardless, he’s the latest of MLBTR’s top 50 free agents they’ve added. The club has now come away with five players from that list this offseason. And now that Strop’s coming off the board, Yasiel Puig (an ex-Red) and Brock Holt are the last ones standing.

Marlins, Rangers Reportedly Finalists To Sign Pedro Strop

Jeff Todd — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 12:07:58 +0000

The chase for Pedro Strop may not rate as national news, but it’s an important situation in the context of the remaining relief market. Perusing the slate of still-available pen pieces should convince you of that.

The group of pursuers was defined recently and seems now to have been culled again. The Marlins and Rangers are the two final clubs in the bidding, according to Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101 (Twitter link), with the Brewers and Cubs evidently exiting the picture.

For the Fish, Strop would represent something of a finishing flourish to an offseason full of bullpen movement. The Miami organization has dumped a whole lot of talented but unreliable younger hurlers and obviously has interest in plugging in a late-inning veteran.

Should he land instead in Texas, Strop would help buttress a unit that still has some uncertainty. Jose Leclerc and a resurgent Rafael Montero provide some potential fire at the back of the unit, but it’d be nice to pair Strop with Jesse Chavez to lock in some sturdy frames.

Strop has been a steady performer for years now, though he’s coming off of a down 2019. With injuries limiting his availability and effectiveness, the 34-year-old managed only a 4.97 ERA. More than anything, he (like many of his peers) was suddenly prone to the long ball, allowing about twice as many per nine innings as he had over the preceding five years. And a fairly significant velocity decline gave some cause for concern. But it’s not hard to envision a quick bounce back if Strop is at full health, as he still proved capable of inducing an enticing mix of swings and misses and groundballs.