Marcus Stroman's Days With Yankees Could Be Coming to an End

Marcus Stroman's days with Yankees could be nearing an end

It's been a rocky ride in the Big Apple for Marcus Stroman, to say the least. Now, as he's nearing the end of a rehab assignment, one New York Yankees observer feels that the team could simply "cut ties" with Stroman.

Cole Shelton of heavy.com points to a report from insider Max Goodman of nj.com, who declared that "The Yankees have no need for Marcus Stroman in their starting rotation right now."

Stroman found himself in the 5-man group essentially by default to start the season, after injuries riddled the staff with Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil going down. He had come into camp on the outside looking in, but arrived at Spring Training declaring he would not pitch out of the bullpen, repeating to the media over and over, "I'm a starter. I'm a starter."

Then, after three starts in which he posted an 11.57 ERA, surrendering 12 runs in 9 innings, he wasn't a starter anymore, and went on the injured list with knee inflammation, and that's kept him out for the last two months. But he's nearing a return sometime in the near future, and a decision is nigh.

Could the Yankees DFA Marcus Stroman?

But with a trip to the minors not an option, and, according to Stroman himself, a placement in the bullpen not in the cards either, that means only one thing for the 34-year-old, as Goodman notes:

It’s either a big-league roster spot or he’s headed to the open market... One option for the Yankees would be to simply cut ties with the starter once he’s healthy.

The Yankees tried to deal Stroman during the offseason and again after the kerfuffle he caused during spring training (before the injuries to Cole and Gil), but to no avail. It's possible they could try that route again, but, as Goodman writes, finding an interested buyer "feels unlikely.”

Stroman, an 11-year veteran, is a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glover, and has a career 3.77 ERA. But after a middling season in 2024 with the Yankees, in which he posted a 4.31 ERA, he was edged out of their rotation plans for this season after the signing of ace Max Fried, and the return to form of Carlos Rodon.

Stroman suffered a setback a few weeks ago in his recovery from his knee injury, but when he is ready to return, he could be facing a DFA.