The New York Yankees need good news on the pitching front, and they’re hoping Marcus Stroman can finally provide some.
Stroman will return from the injured list Sunday, taking the mound against the Oakland Athletics with a lot more riding on this start than just a box score.
It’s hard to ignore the uneasy feeling around Stroman right now. His season has been a wild roller coaster, and the Yankees are holding their breath.
Stroman’s injuries and declining stuff cloud his future in pinstripes
When the Yankees signed Marcus Stroman during the 2024 offseason, they expected a stabilizing veteran who could eat innings and compete.
Instead, Stroman tossed just 9.1 innings before knee inflammation landed him on the shelf.
In those brief outings, he posted a dreadful 11.57 ERA, flashing the lowest velocity of his career.
For a pitcher who already relies on finesse more than overpowering stuff, losing even a tick off his fastball can feel like driving a car with no brakes.
Rehab struggles show Stroman has work to do
It’s not like Stroman stormed through rehab either. He got tagged for 10 hits and five earned runs in just 3.2 innings his last time out.
His minor league ERA ballooned to 6.97 across three rehab starts, and he didn’t miss bats the way you’d hope a major league veteran would against lesser competition.
Still, the Yankees need arms, and manager Aaron Boone seems willing to roll the dice on experience over anything else right now.
The Yankees will have a tough decision if Stroman keeps floundering
Stroman’s contract makes this situation even more intriguing. He was never realistically going to reach the 140 innings required to trigger his player option for 2026.
Now, it’s all but certain he’ll hit free agency at season’s end.
But there’s still the question of whether he can give the Yankees meaningful innings for the remainder of this year.
With the trade deadline just weeks away, the front office won’t have endless patience.
If Stroman can’t string together quality starts soon, he might become expendable as the Yankees look to bolster the rotation with more reliable options.
Facing the Athletics could be Stroman’s best chance to settle in
Fortunately, facing Oakland offers about as soft a landing spot as you could script.
The Athletics have struggled offensively most of this season, and if Stroman can’t navigate their lineup, it could be a clear sign his days in pinstripes are numbered.
It’s also possible that, like a veteran boxer finally getting his legs back, Stroman just needs reps to rediscover command and feel.
The Yankees can only hope that’s the case because their margin for error in the American League East is shrinking by the day.
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