Marcus Stroman had his name involved in trade talks from the moment the offseason begun, as it was clear that the Yankees were not keen on using him in their rotation.
Injuries ultimately forced their hand with Gerrit Cole undergoing a season-ending Tommy John Surgery and Luis Gil suffering a high-grade lat strain.
He would open the season with the Yankees in their starting five, but a knee injury after a disastrous start against the Giants has kept him on the IL for weeks.
The Yankees have since seen their rotation dramatically improve, and with Ryan Yarbrough and Will Warren providing competitive starts, the need for Stroman to return to the rotation isn’t there.
Bob Nightengale’s most recent report could indicate that they’re still exploring potential trade possibilities, as he reports that his trade value is “increasing” by being on the IL because it makes the 2026 option unlikely to kick in.
Why The Yankees Might Have a Way to Trade Marcus Stroman This Summer
With Marcus Stroman boasting a horrendous 11.57 ERA through his first three starts, it’s easy to see why the Yankees would want to move off of him.
JT Brubaker is slated to begin a rehab assignment today and could provide some innings in the rotation, while Luis Gil has already begun a throwing program and could return in the next two months.
They also added veteran starter Anthony DeSclafani to their Triple-A roster, who delivered four innings of one-run baseball with five strikeouts as his fastball velocity was up from the last time he pitched in 2023.
Cam Schlittler and Brendan Beck are also Double-A pitchers who could be due for a promotion to Triple-A before Stroman returns, which could open the door for the Yankees to trade him to a more needy squad.
READ MORE: Yankees’ injured veteran starter begins rehab assignment in High-A
Teams such as the Orioles, Athletics, Brewers, and Blue Jays could be desperate for more pitching depth as the season goes on, as their rotations have been crushed by injury, underperformance, or a combination of both.
Meanwhile, the Yankees have build enough depth to get on by with what they have in-house, and if they choose to try and deal Stroman, the lack of a 2026 option would help their cause.
Teams would sign up for Marcus Stroman if the Yankees ate some of the money since he would only be a rental who they could cut from their roster if he truly performs terribly.
Furthermore, the Yankees might ask for almost nothing in return.
It would be hard to believe that Brian Cashman would ask for anything outside of financial relief so they can make another move at the deadline, and with how desperate some teams will get this summer, Stroman may have suitors.