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Marcus Stroman had just held the powerful Houston Astros lineup to one measly run over seven innings, pitching the Toronto Blue Jays to a much-needed bounceback win.

He had also just congratulated teammate Roberto Osuna on his selection to the American League all-star team as a replacement, saying he deserved to be there in the first place.

The 26-year-old right-hander had also gone through the ins and outs of another frustrating day of umpires trying to figure out his stuttered and staggered delivery.

Then he revealed the motivation behind his final start prior to Tuesday’s 2017 MLB All-Star Game in Miami.

He wanted to be there.

Stroman feels snubbed, like many others around baseball that are annually left off even though the numbers say they’re deserving.

Instead, he’s going to be MIA in the MIA. 

“I think I should have been there, 100 per cent,” Stroman said Saturday after the Jays’ 7-2 win. “I think I’ve pitched well enough. That’s all I’m going to say.”

He took it to the mound with him Saturday and got results.

For a pitcher with a career 3.28 ERA post-All-Star break and one who always finds creative ways to motivate himself, the snub could bode well for the Blue Jays in the second half of the season.

“That was definitely in the back of my mind when I was out there today,” Stroman said. “That's how I am and that's how I’ll continue to be going forward. I expect a pretty big second half out of myself.”

With only 12 American League roster spots available for pitchers at the Midsummer Classic, good arms are left off each and every year. 

But Stroman definitely has a case.

Prior to lowering his ERA to 3.28 with Saturday’s ninth win of the season, his 3.41 ERA and 8-4 mark when the teams were named last Sunday were a conversation starter at the very least.

Stroman had accumulated 1.7 fWAR before beating the Astros, which had him sitting 13th amongst American League starters and his ERA placed him seventh.

If the Blue Jays were sitting in first place instead of last, maybe the perception would have been different, but Stroman has now gone at least seven innings seven times in 18 starts and is on his way to a career year in his fourth big-league season.

Without Stroman’s presence in the rotation, the Jays would be absolutely buried right now.

If the All-Star snub drives him to a second half like the one he posted in 2016 — a 3.01 xFIP and a significant jump to 8.49 K/9 — the Jays may eventually be thanking those who decided to keep him away from Miami.