Stroman threw six shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three during Team USA's Wednesday victory over Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic championship game.

EDGE Analysis

Only 44 of his 73 pitches resulted in a strike, but to log that many innings on that crisp a count proved efficient, and that approach makes his current and future fantasy owners smile. Stroman's strikeout rate doesn't befit that of a fantasy ace, and the right-hander comes in a notch below that tier. Still, even after the added WBC stretch, the control- and groundball-happy right-hander should chew up close to 200 innings and could enjoy a bump in whiffs now that he's another year removed from a torn ACL.

Stroman will start Wednesday for Team USA against Puerto Rico in the WBC finale, MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander will make his third start in this year's World Baseball Classic, and his second opposite Seth Lugo. Lugo got the better of Stroman last Friday, as he held Team USA to three runs on five hits over 5.2 innings, while Stroman gave up four runs on eight hits over 4.2 frames. Look for Stroman to rejoin Blue Jays camp before the end of the week.

Stroman is scheduled to start Friday for Team USA against Puerto Rico in the WBC, MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

He will oppose Seth Lugo at Pecto Park in his second start in the World Baseball Classic. While Stroman will be facing a team that includes the likes of Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor and Carlos Beltran, his confidence should be sky high after a dominant performance against an even more dangerous Dominican Republic lineup his last time out. Stroman held the Dominican Republic to three hits over 4.2 scoreless innings last weekend, striking out three batters with zero walks.

Stroman twirled 4.2 scoreless innings, scattering three hits while issuing no walks and striking out four against the Dominican Republic in the WBC opener Saturday night.

EDGE Analysis

Employing a lively mix consisting mostly of fastballs, sliders and changeups, Stroman did what he does best to keep the powerful Dominican bats at bay -- keep the ball on the ground. The righty led MLB starters in 2016 with a 60 percent ground-ball rate while forcing 49 percent of opposing hitters to "top" batted balls, according to Statcast, the second-best rate in baseball last year. Simply put, Stroman is as good as any pitcher in the world at getting hitters to pound pitches into the dirt, and he showed it Saturday by collecting seven ground-ball outs without allowing a single fly ball in fair territory. Stroman threw 64 pitches, one below the first-round maximum and (by tournament rules) will not be eligible to pitch for four days. If Team USA reached the second round at San Diego's Petco Park, the young gun will be available to start again.

Stroman is starting Saturday's WBC game against the Dominican Republic.

EDGE Analysis

He will face a loaded Dominican lineup that has nine legitimate MLB hitters, so this will be quite the test for Stroman. The plan is for Stroman to log four innings and for Tanner Roark to come in and also log four innings before handing it over to either Andrew Miller or David Robertson.

Stroman struck out three Pirates over two perfect frames Monday in his spring debut.

EDGE Analysis

Stroman revealed a downright filthy arsenal of pitches Monday, which explains why he's been boisterously asserting his confidence level this spring. "I had a good mix of everything," he told reporters after the game. "[Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia] did a great job of kind of mixing all my pitches. Slider, curveball, cutter, change, heater, sinker. I have a good amount of weapons to attack hitters and I'm extremely confident this year and ready to go." The 25-year-old righty, who got off to a slow start last season while rebounding from ACL surgery the prior year, didn't allow a ball out of the infield as he made Pirates' hitters look second-rate. Stroman had a 4.92 ERA through August last season, but turned it around with a 3.28 ERA in his last 11 starts.

Stroman said his surgically-repaired knee "finally feels 100 percent," and he's confident he can throw upwards of 240 innings this season, Paul Hagen of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Now two years removed from surgery to repair the torn ACL in his left knee, Stroman said Monday that his body "feels the best it's ever felt." The Jays' ace also commented on overcoming 2016's early-season struggles. "I just got kind of out of whack at some point," the 25-year-old said. "I just simplified everything on my own at that point, and that's something I'm going to stick with this year. It's in my delivery and in my motion. I feel excited this year for what I'm going to do." After failing to meet expectations in last year's campaign, Stroman could slip down some draft boards past his true value. He has the talent to be a solid ace, or at the very least, a strong second option across most fantasy formats.

Stroman won his arbitration hearing on Tuesday and will receive $3.4 million for the 2017 season, FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Blue Jays were proposing a $3.1 million salary, but the arbiter sided with Stroman, who is considered by some to be the team's No. 1 starter. This will be the second year in a row that a strong finish to the prior season has Stroman generating a lot of buzz in drafts as a breakout candidate. He posted a 4.37 ERA last year, but his fielding independent numbers were much stronger and he notched a 3.89 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 83 strikeouts over 88 innings in the second half.

Stroman said the left knee he had surgically repaired in March 2015 is back to 100 percent, the Toronto Star reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Jays' ace has emphasized the importance of having a stronger landing leg, mentioning that it will allow him to throw harder, go deeper into games and have more control. In 2015, Stroman returned to the mound six months after surgery to help the Blue Jays end a 22-year playoff drought. He was the Opening Day starter last year and worked over 200 innings in the regular season, posting a 9-10 record and 4.37 earned-run average over 32 starts. Due to last season's unappealing numbers, some owners may make the unwise decision to lower their interest before draft day rolls around.

Stroman announced Saturday that he will play for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

EDGE Analysis

The extra work before spring training may do Stroman some good. After missing most of 2015 recovering from ACL surgery, the righty struggled to knock off the rust early in 2016. Prior to the All-Star break, he posted a 4.89 ERA while managing 6.4 K/9 over 18 starts. Following the Midsummer Classic, Stroman dished up a 3.68 ERA and an 8.5 K/9. The WBC will give the 25-year-old an opportunity to enter 2017 well-oiled and ready to go.