The New York Yankees have secured a significant addition to their roster, reaching a consensus with right-hander Marcus Stroman on a two-year contract worth $37 million, as revealed by sources to ESPN on Thursday night. This agreement also incorporates a vesting player option, further fortifying the Yankees’ pitching rotation with the presence of a two-time All-Star.
Yankees gamble on Stroman
Marcus Stroman, aged 32, earned his All-Star status in the National League in 2023, showcasing an impressive 2.96 ERA during the first half of the season with the Chicago Cubs – the fourth-best in the NL at that time. Unfortunately, Stroman’s second half was marred by setbacks, including hip and rib injuries, limiting him to six starts and two relief appearances. Consequently, he allowed 23 earned runs in 24 innings, concluding the season with an overall ERA of 3.95.
Despite the challenges faced by Stroman in the latter part of the previous season, the New York Yankees actively pursued him to bolster their rotation. The Yankees’ pitching staff, anchored by the reigning American League Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, faced uncertainties with Carlos Rodon struggling in the initial year of his six-year, $162 million contract. The rotation is anticipated to feature Nestor Cortes, boasting a 4.97 ERA in 63⅓ innings, and Clarke Schmidt, with a 4.64 ERA over 159 innings.
Notably, the contractual agreement with Marcus Stroman includes a third-year option valued at $18 million, contingent on Stroman reaching 140 innings in the 2025 season, according to insider sources. Stroman fell just short of this threshold in the previous season, pitching 136⅔ innings. However, he had surpassed the 140-inning mark on four occasions in his career before.
The Yankees’ pursuit of a starting pitcher aligns with their earlier acquisition of outfielder Juan Soto during the offseason. Opting for Stroman over NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell, whose price proved too steep for the Yankees, showcases the team’s strategic approach to roster building.
A seasoned player with nine years in the league, Marcus Stroman is set to join his fourth team in six seasons. His professional journey began with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014, followed by a stint with the New York Mets from 2019 to 2021, and a two-year tenure with the Chicago Cubs. Stroman opted out of a $21 million salary for the upcoming season, paving the way for his transition to the Yankees.
Stroman’s pitching prowess is highlighted by his effective sinker, contributing to the second-highest ground ball rate (56.7%) among pitchers with over 1,000 innings since his debut in 2014. Hailing from Long Island, Stroman has accumulated a career record of 77 wins and 76 losses, maintaining a commendable 3.65 ERA since being selected in the first round of the 2012 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.
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Newsflash: New Yorkers don’t like cocky big mouths, especially when they’re middling performers. We love stoic, self-contained guys like Lou Gerhig, Dimaggio, Mattingly, Jeter, Mariano, etc. This guy is a bigger jerk than Donaldson who contaminated the chemistry in the clubhouse. So what does Cashman do? He goes out and gets another toxic player who has never proven himself worthy of that kind of arrogance. He’s unable to check his ego or discipline his mouth. Now we have to put up with this garbage for 2 years. For his sake, he better shut up and level up his game.
Babe Ruth was a cocky big mouth…
😉
Well we also loved the Babe and Reggie and Pepitone and Mickey and White and Billy were not exactly quoet