Stroman says he didn’t want to come to Toronto but quickly fell in love with city

TORONTO – On the same day he took the mound for the Blue Jays’ home opener, pitcher Marcus Stroman delivered a love letter to Toronto.

In a story penned for The Players Tribune website, the 24-year-old right-hander calls Toronto a baseball city, hockey city, music city, fashion city and food city.

“And across all these industries, everybody shows love,” Stroman wrote. “The Leafs show love to the Blue Jays. Drake and the other artists show love to us and the Raps. Nobody’s trying to dominate the city. They just rep The 6ix. And if you also rep The 6ix, they got your back.

“Nothin’ but love. That’s why Toronto is my favourite city.”

Stroman, who was born in Medford, N.Y., admitted he was upset at being drafted by the Blue Jays.

“I didn’t want to go to Canada. I didn’t know anything about Toronto. All I knew was that it wasn’t New York, where I’m from. It wasn’t Duke. It was Canada. It was a different country. But like I said, to understand Toronto, you have to really experience Toronto. You have to be there.

“When I got called up in 2014, that’s when I got to truly experience Toronto, and I learned that it’s such a hip and trendy city — very up on the times. Perfect for a young guy like me. It’s a small city in the sense that it’s not overwhelming. I live right downtown, so I’m a five-minute walk from the Rogers Centre or a Raps game or a Leafs game. I’m 10 minutes from the sickest restaurants in the city.

“I just fell in love.”

Stroman also predicts another banner year for the Jays.

“We’re just going to do everything in our power to go out there and get a win every day. We’re going to have fun with it. We’re going to let our personality show. We’re going to let our emotions show. … That’s why I think we’re as good as we are. That’s why I think we can do something special.”

Toronto GM Ross Atkins said Stroman’s sentiments were from the heart.

“He’s an authentic person,” he said prior to the game.

Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro, who came on board last November after 24 years in Cleveland’s organization, called Toronto “special and unique” but said he was still learning about the city.

“What he’s writing about, from what I understand, is exactly why for me a decision to come here was easy, even after being one place for so long.”