New York Yankees starting pitching Marcus Stroman made his Spring Training debut on Friday, where he tossed one scoreless inning and allowed two hits while striking out one. Stroman has been one of the main talking points of the offseason given that he has no clear path to playing time with the signing of Max Fried.
Yankees’ Marcus Stroman doesn’t regret expressing a desire to stay in the rotation
Stroman has been in the headlines more in recent weeks after he adamantly stated his preference to not come out of the bullpen. Following his start on Friday, he was interviewed by the YES Network’s Meredith Marakovits, where he said he didn’t regret expressing his desire to stay in the rotation.
“I know who I am as a pitcher. I’m a very confident pitcher. I don’t think you’d want someone in your starting rotation that would be like, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go to the bullpen.’ That’s not someone you want,” Stroman said (h/t New York Daily News’ Gary Phillips).
Stroman would currently be the sixth starter in the Yankees rotation, with Fried, Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil, and Carlos Rodón rounding out the rest of the group. The Yankees have not made it clear whether they will use a six-man rotation, but judging from their wanting Stroman to come out of the bullpen, a six-man rotation doesn’t appear to be desired by New York.
Stroman’s future with the Yankees is unclear
The 33-year-old right-handed pitcher has been in trade rumors as a result of his unwillingness to change roles. The Yankees still have areas that they would like to have addressed before Opening Day, particularly at third base, and Stroman would be a big trade piece for them in any potential deal.
Stroman is making $18.5 million this season and has a vesting option for 2026 before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027. The Yankees have made it clear that they intended to shave payroll this offseason, and moving Stroman would give them more flexibility to add to their roster.
Stroman was a main part of their rotation last season but was demoted to the bullpen in late September. He pitched to a 4.31 ERA with a 10-9 record. He did not appear in a game in the postseason.
For now, Stroman remains with the Yankees, but his future continues to be cloudy. Nevertheless, his mind seems set on being a starting pitcher going forward as opposed to a relief arm.