Some injuries hurt more than others—but in rare cases, the silver lining becomes clear before the player even returns.
That’s exactly where the New York Yankees are with Marcus Stroman.
While fans await his comeback, the organization might be quietly fine with how things are playing out—and it’s not hard to understand why.
A frustrating injury with lingering pain
Stroman, 34, has been dealing with knee discomfort in his left leg since early this season.
He managed just 9.1 innings across three starts before being shut down, posting an unsightly 11.57 ERA during that stretch.
His strikeout rate was a modest 6.75 per nine, and his left-on-base percentage sat at just 43.2%.
To make matters worse, his ground ball rate—a calling card of his game—was at a middling 42.4%.
Even now, he’s unable to shake the inflammation in his knee and hasn’t cleared the final hurdle toward ramping back up fully.
Boone’s comments reveal a troubling reality
Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn’t sugarcoat Stroman’s condition.
“He’s got a lot of treatments on it and stuff, and he just can’t kind of get over that final hump,” Boone said.
“We’ll try and continue to get our arms around it and try and make sure we get that out of there.”
That doesn’t sound like a guy who’s on the verge of returning—it sounds like a team managing expectations.
And for the Yankees, that might be a blessing in disguise.
Stroman’s recent performance hasn’t justified patience
Even before this injury-plagued start, Stroman’s 2024 season wasn’t exactly encouraging.
He logged a 4.31 ERA over 154.2 innings, often struggling with command and failing to miss bats consistently.
His velocity and pitch movement have declined, leaving hitters more comfortable and games more unpredictable.
The Yankees were bracing themselves every fifth day last year, hoping for five serviceable innings at best.
That’s not the energy you want from a rotation piece, let alone one being paid veteran money.
The innings threshold no longer matters
Stroman had a 140-inning threshold baked into his contract that would’ve triggered a player option if reached.
At this point, there’s no way he gets there—and that may be the best-case scenario for New York.
There’s little incentive to force his return unless he’s 100% ready, and with other arms stepping up, the Yankees have options.
Ryan Yarbrough pitched well in Sunday’s 12–2 blowout win, offering the type of depth the team hoped they’d have in Stroman.
Looking forward, not backward
This isn’t about giving up on a player—it’s about understanding the moment.
The Yankees are chasing a division crown and need reliable arms who can compete now, not rehab projects hoping to recapture old form.
With Stroman still stuck in neutral, the team can turn its focus toward those who are healthy, efficient, and trending up.
For once, doing nothing might be the smartest move they’ve made this season.
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