The New York Yankees currently find themselves in urgent need of Marcus Stroman, more than at any other point this season—even more than when he was part of the Opening Day rotation.
Stroman’s spring was unusual; he arrived without a guaranteed spot in the rotation and made it clear he wouldn’t pitch for the Yankees without one. As other contenders in the rotation struggled or got injured, the decision was ultimately made for him to be part of the rotation. Unfortunately, Stroman struggled early and then had a poor outing against the San Francisco Giants in a rain-soaked game, which was later linked to a knee injury.
Following Stroman’s setbacks, the Yankees tried various options, eventually turning to Ryan Yarbrough, who performed well for two months until he was sidelined by an oblique issue. The team then gave Allan Winans a chance, but after a brief strong start, things fell apart and the offense couldn’t keep pace. With injuries piling up, the hope was for Stroman to return soon, potentially replacing Winans in the rotation.
Stroman has expressed willingness to pitch out of the bullpen if necessary and showed promise in two rehab starts, pitching 6 2/3 innings. However, his third rehab start went poorly, as he struggled with velocity and command, resembling his earlier disappointing outings from April. His latest rehab outing at Double-A Somerset resulted in 3.2 innings pitched, 10 hits allowed, and 5 earned runs, casting doubt on his immediate return.
This was meant to be Stroman’s final rehab start before rejoining the Yankees, and despite the setback, he will likely still return soon. The situation is frustrating because Stroman had a clear role and could have even been a valuable trade asset without his option year looming in 2026. For now, though, the team’s pitching rotation remains unsettled as they await his full recovery.
