The New York Yankees expect begin their 2025 season with Marcus Stroman as part of their pitching staff — something that was far from guaranteed all winter as trade rumors swirled.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone, meeting with the media on Tuesday as Spring Training got underway, seemed happy with the 33-year-old veteran’s mindset.
“Maybe a little bit of an awkward situation just with all the noise around it this winter,” Boone said, per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. “But I’m comfortable with where he is in his focus and his physical preparation coming in.”
Stroman started last season strong, pitching to a 2.82 ERA through June 11. He faltered from there, however, compiling a 5.88 ERA the rest of the way. With two years and $36.5 million left on his contract, the Yankees were rumored to be looking to trade him in order to direct that cost elsewhere.
“The situation is what it is,” Boone said. “We have a lot of guys that you would expect to be starting pitchers in the big leagues [with] Marcus being one of those. Saw him today. Good conversation with him today. Feel like he’s in a good mental place. He’s physically ready to go. The bottom line is, we’re getting him ready to pitch.”
The state of the Yankees’ starting rotation
New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Yankees enter Spring Training with six starting pitchers, presumably vying for five spots. Stroman’s poor performance down the stretch last year relegated him to the bullpen and that could be where he starts in 2025.
Gerrit Cole is still the ace and, barring injury, will start on Opening Day for the fifth time. The Yankees acquired Max Fried in the offseason to form a strong one-two punch and he’s locked into another rotation spot. The lefty is a two-time All-Star coming off a season with the Atlanta Braves that saw him pitch to a 3.25 ERA over 174.1 innings.
Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt are all back as well. Rodon rebounded strong from an injury-plagued first year in pinstripes, going 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 2024, though he struggled in the postseason. Gil is the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, coming off a first full season in which he struck out better than 10 batters per nine innings and compiled a 3.50 ERA in 151.2 innings.
Schmidt is a little more of a wild card. He was electric through the first two months of 2024, but missed June, July and August with an injury. He was less consistent when he returned, not that one should read much into that.
If those five are all healthy, Stroman could be the odd man out to start. But injuries happen. Ineffectiveness happens. No matter where he starts the season, Stroman will get his shot in 2025.
