Yankees’ Marcus Stroman laughs off rotation battle, focused on big season

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Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman isn’t focused on hitting 140 innings this season to secure his $18 million player option for 2026. Instead, he has his sights set much higher—200 innings, a mark he hasn’t reached since his time with the Blue Jays in 2016 and 2017.

After throwing two innings of live batting practice on Tuesday, Stroman made it clear that he’s preparing for a full-season workload.

“I’m trying to throw 200 innings,” Marcus Stroman said. “You’ve got to do everything in your ability to get your body ready during this period. These games and these numbers don’t matter. I’m going to be someone who goes out there and hopefully can give you 30-plus starts.”

The 32-year-old finished with 154 2/3 innings last season but was largely absent down the stretch, throwing just 6 1/3 innings in the final 18 games and missing the playoffs after struggling in the second half. Despite that, Stroman appears to have no doubt about his role this year.

When asked if he’s competing for a rotation spot this spring, he laughed off the question.

“Competing?” Stroman responded with a smirk. “I don’t think I’m competing … at all. No.”

He doubled down when pressed further.

“Not at all.”

Where does Stroman fit in the Yankees’ rotation?

The Yankees’ rotation appears set, barring injuries, with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes, Clarke Schmidt, and Stroman expected to fill out the staff. However, New York explored trading Stroman this offseason, but his $18 million salary and player option for 2026 made it difficult to find a deal.

For now, general manager Brian Cashman is holding onto Stroman in case the Yankees need rotation depth or another team develops a need for a starter. Meanwhile, Stroman has made it clear he has no interest in a bullpen role.

During Tuesday’s live BP session, he faced Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Jasson Domínguez, Trent Grisham, and non-roster invitee Brennen Davis in the first inning. His second inning featured Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm, DJ LeMahieu, and non-roster Duke Ellis.

“It’s still early, but I feel pretty sharp at this point,” Stroman said. “I feel like I just had a good offseason with my body. I’m someone who loves being in the weight room. My body feels good. My mind feels good. When my mind feels good, I’m usually pretty good out there.”

The road ahead

While Stroman remains confident, there were several hard-hit balls off him Tuesday. The veteran righty, however, dismissed concerns.

“When I’m dialed in, you’re not seeing a lot of hard contact,” he said. “It’s very rare that I’m letting up barrel after barrel. So I’m very confident. I know my stuff plays anywhere. It’s a matter of going out there and doing it.”

With spring training underway, the Yankees will continue evaluating their rotation. For now, Stroman isn’t just aiming for a rotation spot—he’s looking to prove he’s still a frontline starter.

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