The Yankees placed Marcus Stroman on the IL following a disastrous start on April 11th, as the right-hander was dealing with a hip issue that has kept him out for nearly two months.
After throwing live sessions and responding well, he will be making his first rehab start of what could be a lengthy rehab assignment with the Somerset Patriots.
Currently playing at home in New Jersey, the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate also has Giancarlo Stanton there at the moment, as he’s starting at DH and is expected to get between 3-5 at-bats.
With the Yankees looking to add to their rotation depth, Stroman could return to the team before the All-Star Break, although his role on the roster isn’t entirely clear.
Marcus Stroman Will Make First Rehab Start, Yankees Have Difficult Decision Looming
The Yankees have not seen a lot of Marcus Stroman this season due to a hip issue, as he hasn’t pitched since April 11th, but the little they saw from the veteran wasn’t pretty.
Through four starts, Stroman pitched to an 11.57 ERA with a 6.61 FIP, striking out as many batters as he has walks, a concerning sign that he might be finished.
We’ve seen his Stuff+ numbers continue to decline as his sinker has only lost velocity since signing a two-year deal with the Yankees last winter.
Even worse for the veteran, his lengthy IL stint all but ensures that his vesting option for 2026 won’t kick in, and barring a mid-season revival he’ll find himself on the free agent market.
Despite Ryan Yarbrough and Will Warren both struggling this past weekend against Boston, both starters are likely better options at this point than Marcus Stroman.
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While Yarbrough has less impressive velocity, his wide array of secondary pitches and better ability to generate swings and misses make him more valuable.
As for Warren, his high ERA is misleading as every other peripheral stat suggests his ERA should be below 4.00, an indication that better days are ahead of him.
With JT Brubaker potentially being activated soon and not having MiLB options, the Yankees might have another starter in their organization who would be slotted ahead of Marcus Stroman.
A bullpen role likely doesn’t solve the issues in Stroman’s game either, as his stuff is the primary reason for concern with his abilities at the moment.
He’ll make the start tomorrow for the Somerset Patriots, but will likely have to make multiple starts before the Yankees decide on whether he’ll return as a starter, reliever, or even return at all.
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