The big storyline from Yankees camp on Thursday was the absence of Marcus Stroman. Manager Aaron Boone said it was an “awkward situation,” and we’ve got to keep in mind the trade rumors swirling around Stroman in addition to the possibility that he’s been squeezed out of the Yankees’ rotation.
Friday, Stroman arrived and declared himself a starting pitcher.
“I’m a starter,” he said, later continuing (via SNY Yankees): “That’s me making the most basic, brief statement. I’ve been a starter my entire career, go look at the numbers. And how many people can stay healthy and make 30 starts year after year after year, especially being one that they said could never do it at my size. I’m a starter.”
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It’s true that the 5-foot-7 Stroman is to be commended for making 30+ starts in a season four times, though it most recently happened in 2021. He’s made 25, 25 and 29, respectively, in the last three seasons.
The issue at hand isn’t his durability, however. It’s performance. In his last 11 appearances in 2023, which included a stretch where he was injured, he posted an 8.29 ERA. Last year, at age 33, he had a 4.31 ERA (95 ERA+) in 154⅔ innings and while the Yankees carried him on their playoff roster, he never appeared in the postseason.
Further, the addition of Max Fried to the rotation means a Yankees’ five-man rotation most likely looks something like this:
1. Gerrit Cole
2. Max Fried
3. Carlos Rodón
4. Luis Gil
5. Clarke Schmidt
Stroman as the sixth starter might mean the bullpen, but he’s been clear he views himself as a starter. The Yankees continue to try and trade him, but there’s also the chance someone gets hurt in spring training. Cole did just last year.
“Reality is we’re getting 10-11 guys ready to be starters and who knows how many of them you’ll have to use right away,” Boone said Friday (via SNY Yankees).
