The New York Yankees are facing an interesting dilemma with an excess of starting pitchers. After signing Max Fried, the team now has seven big-league starters, one of whom they quickly traded away. While pitching depth is undeniably important in today’s MLB, the Yankees may need to reduce their rotation to address weaknesses in their offense.
One pitcher whose contract is now under scrutiny is Marcus Stroman. The Yankees signed him to a two-year, $37 million deal last winter, with a vesting option for 2026 at $18.3 million, contingent on him pitching 140 or more innings in 2025. Despite trading away Nestor Cortes Jr., the Yankees still appear to have no place for Stroman in their starting rotation. This surplus of pitchers could prompt the Yankees to make another major trade, possibly as their third significant move of the winter.
On a recent episode of The Baseball Insiders podcast, FanSided’s Robert Murray speculated that a trade involving Stroman is likely, as the Yankees would prefer to save money and avoid paying for a player they don’t foresee using much. “I would also imagine a Marcus Stroman trade would appear more likely than not,” Murray said while discussing the Yankees’ broader offseason plans.
Stroman, 33, still has the potential to be an effective major-league pitcher for a few more years. In 2024, he posted a 4.31 ERA in 30 appearances, but a series of unfortunate batted ball outcomes, coupled with the Yankees’ inconsistent defense, contributed to his underwhelming numbers. Given these circumstances, parting ways with Stroman could be a mutually beneficial decision.
The key issue now is whether the Yankees want to prioritize clearing as much salary as possible or focus on getting valuable players in return for Stroman in a trade. With several options at their disposal, it seems likely that the Yankees will eventually move Stroman to improve their overall roster, while also addressing the financial flexibility needed to bolster their offense.
