The New York Yankees are adjusting their pitching staff as the playoffs approach. Right-handed hurler Marcus Stroman, who signed with the club this past offseason, is moving to the bullpen.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Stroman is available for relief work on Sunday, via The Athletic's Brendan Kuty.
Stroman took the news well, via The New York Post's Mark W. Sanchez.
“Whatever you need,” Boone said Stroman told him, “I’ll be ready to go.”
New York wanted to bring its six-man rotation down to the standard five, and Stroman's struggled. The 33-year-old has allowed eight runs over his last nine innings, and the Yankees have been experimenting with their bullpen after Clay Holmes was taken out of the closer role.
Stroman, who sports a 10-8 record with a 1.429 WHIP over 28 appearances, could work as a long reliever going forward.
Boone announced the change before the Yankees' bout with the Boston Red Sox on Friday. Stroman would have started on Sunday but will be replaced by southpaw Nestor Cortes, who returns to the rotation after also being demoted to the bullpen. Cortes, though, has allowed just one run in his last 9.1 innings.
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Stroman could make a case to return to the rotation if he has a lights-out run for the rest of September. The former New York Met should at least try to best his career ERA of 3.69 going forward, and eating innings out of the bullpen could prove crucial for a largely unproven Yankees relief staff.
Boone complimented Stroman despite the demotion, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
“Stro has been so good for us and so good in the room,” Boone said. “He’s all about that team in there and all about the guys in there. Basically, his message to me is, ‘Whatever you need, and I’ll be ready to go.’ I think he just wants to be part of a winner.”
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Although Stroman has been up and down, his good outings have been vital for New York as it fends off the Baltimore Orioles in a tight AL East race.
“You’re one of the reasons we’re in this position now,” Boone added. “On balance, he’s done a really good job for us.”
Boone also announced that left fielder and top Yankees prospect Jasson Dominguez will sit out on Friday but will be back in the lineup on Saturday when Aaron Judge designated hits, via Hoch.
“That gives me two in a row with (Alex) Verdugo and yet it keeps me four or five with Domínguez,” Boone explained. “It’s just wanting to keep guys active and playing and in rhythm.”
The Yankees called up Dominguez on Monday, and he is 2-for-10 with a walk and four strikeouts since then. Boone may want to platoon him with Verdugo, who smacked a 374-foot homer against the Kansas City Royals on Monday.
