The New York Yankees pitcher, arrived at spring training on Friday and made it clear where he stands.
According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com:
Stroman stated, “I’m a starter. I won’t pitch out of the bullpen.”
However, despite Stroman’s firm stance, the Yankees don’t seem to have a spot for him in the rotation unless there’s an injury. Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt are set to be the five starting pitchers. This leaves Stroman with the potential of being relegated to the bullpen, traded, or designated for assignment, with the option to join another team.
Let’s consider the situation from multiple perspectives:
- Stroman has a lot of pride and likely views a bullpen role as a step down.
The 10-year veteran has a career record of 87-85 with a 3.72 ERA. Stroman, once the ace for the Blue Jays, has also played for the Mets and the Cubs. He made All-Star appearances in 2019 with Toronto and in 2023 with Chicago. Stroman debuted in 2014 with the Blue Jays and recorded double-digit wins in two seasons with them, helping lead Toronto to the ALCS in 2015 and 2016. While he posted a 10-9 record with the Yankees last season, he didn’t pitch in the postseason as the team reached the World Series.
- Stroman has a contract option that will trigger in 2026 if he pitches 140 innings in 2025, which could add another $18 million to his earnings. He’s unlikely to hit that mark as a reliever.
From the Yankees’ perspective:
- As mentioned earlier, the Yankees already have five starting pitchers, which is why they traded Nestor Cortes this offseason.
- Stroman is set to make $18 million this year and could earn another $18 million next year. The Yankees must decide whether they want to pay that money and part ways with him via DFA. Additionally, there’s the question of whether another team would be willing to take on any portion of his contract.
This situation will continue to unfold during spring training in the coming weeks.
Leave a Reply