A few months ago, it appeared the New York Yankees were ready to part ways with Marcus Stroman. However, due to a string of injuries, Stroman has now become a part of their plans moving forward. While it’s not the worst scenario, considering Stroman is still a reliable arm at the major league level, the injuries the Yankees have faced are certainly an unfortunate setback.
In his first start of the season, the right-hander pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs, while striking out three and walking one. His performance wasn’t exceptional, but given it was his season debut, there wasn’t much to criticize.
Even with the injury setbacks, some still think Stroman may ultimately be the odd man out when the Yankees make necessary roster changes. This would likely require the Yankees to trade for additional starting pitchers, but if they find a suitable replacement, Stroman could be moved.
In a recent prediction, Rucker Haringey of FanSided suggested the Yankees could part ways with the former All-Star. “Marcus Stroman’s fortunes took a surprising turn this spring,” Haringey wrote. “He began the preseason as a key name on the trade block, but by Opening Day, he found himself as the No. 3 starter in Boone’s rotation. Much of this shift was due to injuries to other pitchers. Gerrit Cole’s Tommy John surgery opened up another rotation spot, and Luis Gil’s injury left the Yankees short of two key pitchers they had counted on.”
Stroman Reflects on His Performance
Injuries are a part of the game, and Stroman is making the most of his current opportunity. He’s looking to prove that, if traded, he remains a valuable asset to other teams. Reflecting on his first outing, Stroman said he felt decent but acknowledged some poor pitches. He’s determined to improve and get back on track.
“I thought I threw the ball pretty well,” Stroman shared, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “Made a few bad pitches, but overall for the first one, I thought it was OK. Definitely need to be better going forward, but to keep this offense in the game is definitely key. To limit the team to three runs or less over five, I feel like we’re going to be able to score and do what we need to do over the course of the game.”
Is a Trade on the Horizon?
It’s reasonable to think that if the Yankees could move on from Stroman, they likely would. However, unless a trade materializes, they’ll need to count on him to help them get through the season. Even if it’s just for a few months, Stroman can still provide valuable innings for the Yankees.
Things could change if Stroman delivers solid performances, but with his contract situation, the Yankees might look to move him regardless of how well he pitches, especially with the ongoing injury issues.
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