Stroman defied the early odds, returning to the mound in September, and he is physically in early-season form.
"I'm pretty sure you didn't think I was going to be back," Stroman said prior to his Game 5 start against Texas in the AL Division Series. "Yeah, I remember that. Yeah, I knew it was possible. I knew my work ethic. I knew how dedicated I am to the game, and I knew that I pushed myself to every possible limit to be back and to be a part of something special. So that was in my head the entire process.