The Yankees are quickly learning that depth isn’t always dependable when the rotation gets tested mid-season.
With Ryan Yarbrough landing on the 15-day injured list due to an oblique issue, a new opportunity opened up.
But instead of bringing back veteran Marcus Stroman, the Yankees handed the ball to Allan Winans — a decision that speaks volumes.
Winans gets the nod, but struggles in his debut
The 29-year-old right-hander has dominated Triple-A this season, but his first MLB start of 2024 fell flat.
Against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, Winans allowed four earned runs across just 4.1 innings of work.
He showed flashes, but the command wasn’t sharp enough, and his pitch sequencing felt one step behind MLB hitters.
Winans threw too many poorly timed fastballs for a pitcher who leans on a great changeup.
Still, the Yankees felt Stroman wasn’t ready — and given the numbers, that concern seems entirely justified.
Stroman’s decline is difficult to ignore
Marcus Stroman was supposed to be a steady veteran option, but his form has crumbled since the second half of 2023.
He owns a brutal 11.57 ERA across 9.1 major league innings this year and hasn’t looked much better in the minors.
In Double-A rehab action, Stroman posted a 4.05 ERA across 6.2 innings — serviceable but far from encouraging.
More worrisome is the velocity dip and inability to miss bats, a combination that doesn’t inspire much optimism.
Underwhelming peripherals are piling up
Last season, Stroman finished near the bottom of the league in critical swing-and-miss categories across the board.
He ranked in the 10th percentile in whiff rate, 24th percentile in chase rate, and 7th in strikeout rate.
Pitchers with those kinds of numbers usually aren’t long for rotation roles, especially on contending teams.
His ground-ball heavy style depends on elite infield defense, but that margin for error can disappear quickly.
It’s like trying to win a drag race in a pickup truck — fine on some days, disastrous on others.
Could a bullpen role make sense?
To his credit, Stroman has publicly expressed a willingness to help the team in any role — including out of the bullpen.
But even that move has its hurdles, since the Yankees tend to favor swing-and-miss arms in relief situations.
Stroman doesn’t bring that to the table anymore, and he hasn’t shown signs of adapting his pitch profile.
If he can’t offer meaningful length or reliability in either role, it may force the Yankees into a difficult decision.
Cutting ties may soon become reality
With his $18 million player option for 2026 looking impossible to trigger, Stroman’s long-term future feels murky.
At 34 years old and struggling to find traction, the Yankees may not have the luxury of waiting for a turnaround.
They need impact arms now — not hopeful experiments — and Stroman hasn’t proven he can deliver in that capacity.
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