Defense matters for Stroman, MLB’s top fielding pitchers

By JAY COHEN
AP Baseball Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — When it comes to defense, Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman says he is “going all out always to make every play.” Playing in the strikeout age — when velocity and stuff is the focus, pushing fielding even further into the background — Stroman is part of a proud group of pitchers still mindful of the extra outs they can record per game because of their attention to defense. Pitchers aren’t called on to make that many plays, but their defensive ability can influence the game in other ways.