Marcus Stroman responded to his name being floated in MLB trade rumors this winter by reporting late for spring training and adamantly rejecting any notion that he would pitch out of the bullpen. Unfortunately for the New York Yankees, they might be stuck with him.
Stroman appeared in 30 games for New York this past season, with 29 of them coming as a starter. He pitched so ineffectively that the team didn’t have him make a single appearance during the team’s run to the World Series during the MLB playoffs.
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- Marcus Stroman contract (Spotrac): $18.333 million salary in 2025, $18.3M vesting option (2026)
Soon after the season ended, MLB rumors emerged that the Yankees were shopping Stroman to shed his $18.333 million salary for the upcoming season. After months of making calls around the league, Stroman is at spring training and New York reportedly can’t find a team who wants him.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, there is no interest around the league in trading for Stroman right now. New York has been trying all offseason to move him and it can’t find a suitor.
Because of the pitching depth in the Yankees rotation, Stroman is unlikely to reach his innings pitched line (140) needed to trigger it into a player option. However, that threshold could be reached with another club if he’s traded and there likely isn’t a team willing to commit $18.3 million to him in 2026.
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- Marcus Stroman stats (ESPN): 4.31 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, .277/.349/.431 slash line, .780 OPS allowed in 154.2 innings pitched last season
Stroman’s effectiveness as a starter has declined significantly in recent years. Over the last two seasons, he ranks 68th among starters with 200-plus innings pitched in ERA (4.14), 81st in batting average allowed (.255) and 91st in WHIP (1.37)
With clubs still focused on hard-throwing pitchers, Stroman is coming off a season where his average fastball velocity (89.9) dipped below 90 miles per hour for the first time in his career and he finished with career-lows in pitch velocity across his arsenal.
After reporting late to spring training, Stroman was adamant to reporters that he “won’t pitch in the bullpen” and only views himself as a starter. With no path to trading him and no opening in the Yankees rotation, New York is seemingly stuck with a disgruntled player for the foreseeable future.
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