As the Yankees gear up for the postseason, they will have a number of pitchers they can trust, but veteran starter Marcus Stroman likely won’t be one of them. The Yankees signed the 33-year-old to a two-year, $37 million deal, which includes a 2026 vesting option that becomes a player option if Stroman reaches 140 innings pitched in 2025.
Stroman’s Struggles This Season in the Yankees’ Rotation
So far this year, Stroman has logged 140.1 innings, but he currently holds a 4.07 ERA, his highest since 2018 with the Toronto Blue Jays. While the Yankees expected Stroman to bring experience and consistency to the rotation, his decline in velocity has raised concerns, suggesting that his best days may be behind him.
Paying Stroman $18.5 million next season is not an ideal situation for the Yankees, as his performance this year has been far from what they hoped for. His strikeout rate has plummeted, down to 6.61 strikeouts per nine innings from 7.84 last season. Additionally, Stroman is allowing more home runs than ever, at 1.09 per nine innings, and his ground ball rate has dropped to 49%, down from 57.1% last year when he pitched for the Chicago Cubs.
Tuesday’s Struggles Against Kansas City
In Tuesday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals, Stroman gave up three earned runs and seven hits over 5.1 innings, further inflating his ERA. His velocity drop has been particularly concerning, as his sinker has lost 2 mph, falling from 92.2 mph last season to 90.6 mph this year, causing problems across the board.
Stroman’s sinker, his most-used pitch at 34.8%, has been hit hard, allowing a .294 batting average and a .467 slugging rate this season, compared to a .245 average and .332 slugging rate last year. To compensate for the sinker’s decline, he has increased the usage of his cutter from 9.6% to 18.2%, but it hasn’t been enough to mitigate the issues.
A Liability in the Postseason
Despite these adjustments, Stroman’s other pitches have not been effective either. His slider, which boasts the lowest batting average against at .252, is the only somewhat reliable pitch in his arsenal. Opposing batters are making solid, damaging contact against his pitches, a trend that doesn’t bode well for the Yankees as they head into the postseason.
Even in a potential bullpen role, Stroman could be a liability. He has a 5.14 ERA in the first inning of games this season, allowing 16 earned runs over 28 innings. Given the similarity between a bullpen appearance and the first inning of a start, this stat raises doubts about his effectiveness as a reliever.
Yankees’ Postseason Rotation Taking Shape
With Clarke Schmidt returning from injury and Cody Poteet nearing his comeback, the Yankees won’t need Stroman to pitch in critical situations. While Stroman is still being used for now due to the team’s need to stay healthy, his recent struggles highlight why he won’t be a reliable option in the playoffs.
- Yankees’ rookie pitcher could fight his way into the playoff rotation
- Yankees have a serious problem at shortstop
- Yankees’ young utility man has carved out a critical role
Looking ahead, the Yankees’ postseason rotation is expected to feature Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Luis Gil. Schmidt may also find his way into the rotation, and with several starting pitchers likely to transition into bullpen roles, the team has plenty of depth without needing to rely on Stroman.