Marcus Stroman’s return to the mound Wednesday offered a small silver lining, as he avoided surrendering any extra-base hits. However, that bright spot was overshadowed by a disappointing overall performance.
In a rare statistical occurrence, Stroman allowed as many singles as outs recorded, a factor that contributed to his and the Yankees’ struggles. Over just 3 ¹/₃ innings, Stroman gave up 10 singles, leading to six earned runs. The result was a 9-7 defeat to the Baltimore Orioles, costing the Yankees another chance to clinch the AL East title.
Stroman’s appearance marked his first start since September 10, filling in for Nestor Cortes, who was sidelined with a flexor strain. The long gap between starts seemed to impact Stroman’s sharpness, as the game quickly unraveled in the opening inning. The first six Orioles batters collected hits, driving in three runs in the process. Stroman’s difficulties persisted into the fourth inning, leading to his early exit.
Despite the rough outing, Stroman did not seek to justify his performance with the layoff. He accepted responsibility for the results, stating that he needed to perform better regardless of the circumstances. “I have to keep us in the game,” he said, acknowledging the need to help his team stay competitive when he’s on the mound.
“I was fine, there’s no excuses,” the Yankees pitcher said said. “I have to be better out there at the end of the day. Regardless of rhythm or when I last threw, I have to do a better job of keeping my team in the game. That’s pretty much all it comes down to.”
Stroman dooms his Yankees rotation cause
Stroman’s chances of cracking the Yankees’ playoff rotation were already uncertain prior to this start, and this latest performance likely further diminished those prospects. While Cortes’ injury could open a spot on the postseason roster, Stroman’s recent struggles have raised concerns. His 4.31 ERA and 1.47 WHIP reflect the inconsistency that has plagued him this season.
As the Yankees head into the postseason, questions remain about whether Stroman can regain his form in time to play a meaningful role on the roster.
Marcus Stroman’s outing Wednesday was tough, but there were factors that made it more complicated than the final line suggested. In the opening inning, Baltimore’s hits weren’t hard-hit, but rather well-placed, finding gaps in the Yankees’ defense.
A consistent issue for Stroman has been the lack of swings and misses, and that trend continued with just one strikeout over his brief 3 ¹/₃ innings. This persistent challenge has hampered his ability to overpower hitters.
The trouble started when Gunnar Henderson legged out an infield single, followed by a Jordan Westburg liner that slipped just beyond the reach of shortstop Anthony Volpe. Anthony Santander added a blooper to center, and Colton Cowser drove in two runs on a fly ball that Jasson Dominguez misjudged down the left-field line.
Catcher Austin Wells pointed out that some of the plays were a matter of inches, suggesting that with slightly different positioning or timing, the Yankees might have recorded outs instead of allowing hits.
Stroman did catch a break when Santander was thrown out trying to stretch Dominguez’s misplay into an extra base, helping limit the damage. He managed to escape the inning by getting Cedric Mullins to ground out with two runners still on, holding Baltimore to three runs.
The struggles returned in the fourth, as Ramon Urias and Mullins singled to open the frame, and Henderson knocked them in with a solid hit up the middle. By that point, frustration was evident from the crowd, and Stroman was pulled from the game.
Reflecting on his performance, Stroman admitted that his mechanics were inconsistent, and his pitches varied from throw to throw. He voiced disappointment over his inability to give his team a better chance to win, acknowledging the need for improvement moving forward. But with playoff around the corner, these look more like excuses.
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