With the likes of Ryan Yarbrough and Will Warren filling out the back of the New York Yankees rotation, it may seem odd to suggest that the team should do everything in it’s power ship out a veteran starter like Marcus Stroman, but that’s exactly what would be in the best interests of the club.
Stroman has only pitched 9.1 innings over three starts since going down in mid-April with a knee injury. Now, he’s on the verge of a return after some setbacks, facing live hitters this past Saturday for the first time since May 9. While the Yankees could still use an addition in the rotation, they’ve figured out how to get by in his absence.
Clarke Schmidt’s return has helped stabilize things, while Ryan Yarbrough has been outstanding since being inserted into the rotation. There’s a question as to how long the soft-tossing southpaw can keep it up, but even if he should turn into a pumpkin, the Yankees will eventually have last year’s AL Rookie of the Year, Luis Gil, returning to replace him.
The question then becomes whether or not Stroman can be an upgrade over Will Warren, who has shown flashes of brilliance while also putting up duds like his May 31 outing against the Dodgers, when he got shelled to the tune of six hits, four walks, and seven earned runs allowed in just 1.1 innings of work.
Still, if the Yankees are going to roll with an inconsistent right-hander to round out their rotation, better the 26-year-old Warren, who at least brings upside over the 34-year-old Stroman.
That brings us to what shedding Stroman’s salary can do for the team, and why, as a whole, the club would be better off without him.
The Yankees can take advantage of a weak starting pitching market – while freeing up funds to solve their biggest need – by trading Marcus Stroman.
Despite his poor performance in a small sample and lengthy IL stint, Stroman’s trade value has only increased over the last several weeks now that his pesky vesting option is off the table. It will be impossible for him to reach the necessary 140-inning threshold; therefore, whichever team acquires him will be looking at a half-season rental rather than the possibility of being saddled with him for an $18 million price tag in 2026.
As of now, contenders with needs in the rotation don’t seem to have many places to turn. The presumed prize of the trade deadline, 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, has fallen flat with a 7.89 ERA in his return from Tommy John surgery.
The next best available name might be the Angels’ Tyler Anderson, a 35-year-old soft-tossing southpaw who may best be described as a deluxe version of Ryan Yarbrough. The rest of the sellers like the White Sox and Pirates will likely pefer to hold on to their young pitching talent.
Stroman, based on his previous track record, might represent the best available right-handed starting option, alongside Arizona’s Zach Gallen and Merril Kelly should the Diamondbacks accept their fate as sellers at the deadline.
That could mean a nice little return for the Yankees for a pitcher who still likely has no place on the team. More importantly, the Yankees’ steely determination to stay under the so-called “Steve Cohen” luxury tax threshold means the club can’t take on very much money in trades without something substantial going back out.
Clearing out the rest of Stroman’s $18 million salary will give them the wiggle room to chase the best available second baseman rather than relying on bargain-basement options.
In turn, that will make the Yankees a more complete team overall, better positioned to make a deep October run that hopefully ends in a more glorious fashion than 2024’s version.
