After Nestor Cortes fired five strong frames against the Red Sox, the Yankees are going to keep him in the rotation for the next turn through the rotation. It’ll be Marcus Stroman moving to the bullpen in his place, as the veteran right-hander hasn’t had the season he was hoping for compared to the other arms in the rotation. Aaron Boone did mention that this isn’t a permanent decision, but given how the other starters have performed compared to Stroman, this seems like the logical decision for October.
The Yankees have shown that they’ll get creative with their pitching staff as they manage having six healthy starters this late in the season, and Bryan Hoch reports that you can expect Marcus Stroman to be available on Sunday.
Marcus Stroman Moved to Yankees’ Bullpen For Next Turn Through The Rotation
There have been some very concerning regressions for Marcus Stroman compared to last season, as his velocity is down, and the Yankees have skipped one of his starts before this. After a tough outing against the Blue Jays to open August, the Yankees skipped his start so he could get nine days off instead, and since then he’s pitched to a 3/94 ERA with a 2.77 FIP, but the last two starts have been rocky. He allowed five runs against the Rangers and three against the Royals, struggling with his command although he hasn’t had the same issues with the longball that he had to open the season.
His Location+ since the Yankees skipped one of his starts improved from 95 to 101, which is encouraging, but the stuff has yet to impress. This isn’t a final decision from Aaron Boone, and with multiple weeks left on the schedule, there’s still time for things to change. Nestor Cortes has been excellent lately, explaining the Yankees’ decision to move him back into the rotation, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t eventually move back into a bullpen role, especially in a Wild Card Round or Division Series.
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Gerrit Cole’s dominance as of late is a welcome sight given the fact that the Yankees are going to use him as their Game 1 starter in all likelihood. Luis Gil has been strong since returning from the IL as well, and Clarke Schmidt spun the ball well in his first start back from the IL in Chicago. Carlos Rodon has trended upward, missing more bats in the second half thanks to a changeup that has been brilliant this season. The Yankees’ biggest question is arguably in their bullpen, and Marcus Stroman could potentially help them in the postseason.
He could provide multiple innings and he’s been better at keeping the ball on the ground and avoiding damage contact as of late. His sinker command has improved, and perhaps in shorter spurts, he could be a real weapon for a team that is desperate for any bullpen depth that they can find. As the season plays out, expect Aaron Boone to continue and shake things up in the rotation to find the team’s best alignment for the postseason. Marcus Stroman could still make some starts down the stretch, but for now, he’ll work in a reliever role.