While Marcus Stroman is currently under contract, he has an opt-out clause that he is likely to exercise at the end of the season. Given his exceptional performance on the field, he is poised to secure a lucrative payday as a free agent. In fact, Stroman is considered one of the top free-agent pitchers, trailing only Shohei Ohtani.

This season, Stroman has been outstanding, boasting a 7-4 record and an impressive 2.42 ERA. He leads the National League with 85 ⅔ innings pitched and has consistently delivered exceptional performances, allowing two or fewer runs in 17 of his last 21 starts.

Expressing his desire to stay with the Cubs, Stroman has made it clear that he is open to negotiating a new contract. However, the Cubs have yet to engage in substantive discussions with him. As the trade deadline approaches, the Cubs plan to sit down with Stroman to gauge his contract expectations. If an agreement cannot be reached, the team may have no choice but to consider trading him, knowing that several teams will be vying for his services.

Marcus Stroman understands the business aspect of baseball and recognizes that negotiations can be intricate. While he publicly expresses his desire to remain with the Cubs, he understands that decisions must be made in the best interest of the team. Despite his openness about his intentions, the Cubs have not provided a definitive response. Ultimately, the Cubs hold Stroman’s fate in their hands. As time ticks away, fans eagerly await the team’s decision.

Stroman’s exceptional performance and contributions to the Cubs make him a valuable asset, and his future with the team hangs in the balance. The Cubs’ recent history of parting ways with star players adds another layer of uncertainty.

Although Liverpool fans appreciate the brilliance of forward Mohamed Salah, it seems like the rest of the soccer world doesn’t. With so few fans and experts appreciating his talents, is Mo Salah the most underrated player in the Premier League?

Winning It All

For starters, since joining Liverpool, Mohamed Salah has won the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League, and the FIFA Club World Cup. That’s already impressive, but Salah has played a key role in all of those amazing team accomplishments.

Mo Salah scored a hat-trick on the opening weekend of the 2020-21 Premier League season to take his total number of goals to 97 in just 154 games.

If anyone else had scored that number of goals in just three Premier League seasons, they would be regarded as one of the best ever. However, Salah didn’t even find himself nominated for PFA Player of the Season, nor did he make it into the PFA Team of the Season.

His Attitude

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville explained to Sky Sports that he believes Salah suffers in popularity due to his attitude on the pitch.

His teammate, Sadio Mane, will run through brick walls to help his team, while Salah comes across as a more selfish individual. There are moments where Salah could find an easy pass to lay on a goal for his teammates, but he would rather have the glory for himself.

High Numbers

Since joining Liverpool in 2017, Salah’s goal and assist record places him as the third most effective player in the top five leagues around Europe. He also has the fifth-best minutes-to-goal ratio across Europe’s best leagues, yet he often gets overlooked for the accolades, while his teammates are praised.

Mo Salah has had an incredible Liverpool career so far, and if he continues the rest of the 2020-21 season as he started, people can’t ignore his talent much longer.