The Yankees revealed their ALCS roster on Monday morning, including struggling starting pitcher Marcus Stroman. The 33-year-old finished the 2024 season with a 4.31 ERA over 154.2 innings, marking his highest ERA since 2018 when he played for the Toronto Blue Jays. Stroman remains under contract with the Yankees for the 2025 season at $18.5 million.
Managing Stroman’s Contract Situation
If Stroman pitches more than 140 innings next season, he will trigger a player option for the 2026 season. The Yankees, undoubtedly mindful of this, may try to limit his innings next year.
However, for the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians, the Yankees have included him as a reserve pitching option. Make no mistake, Stroman will likely be the last pitcher they turn to in this series, but his ability to provide length out of the bullpen—or even step in for a spot start—makes him a useful addition to the roster.
Nestor Cortes Left Off Yankees’ ALCS Roster
Yankees left-handed starter Nestor Cortes, who has been working diligently to return from injury in time for the postseason, was left off the ALCS roster, effectively ending his 2024 season. Cortes, who was throwing with increased intensity last week, will only have a shot at returning if the Yankees advance to the World Series.
Cortes is coming off a solid regular season, in which he posted a 3.77 ERA over a career-high 174.1 innings. He struck out 8.36 batters per nine innings, with a 76.4% left-on-base rate and a 31.1% ground ball rate. His strong performance in September had him positioned as a potential No. 2 starter for the Yankees in the postseason rotation.
A Missed Opportunity for Cortes
Despite his impressive season, the Yankees likely felt they couldn’t trust Cortes to make a positive contribution after missing three weeks due to injury. With the stakes high and no room for uncertainty, the Yankees opted to move forward with their active pitchers who already have postseason action under their belts.
While Cortes won’t be taking the mound in the ALCS, his contributions throughout the year played a crucial role in the Yankees’ success. His resilience and solid performances shouldn’t go unappreciated, even though his season has come to an unfortunate end.
Yankees Face the Guardians
As the Yankees prepare for Game 1 of the ALCS, the decision to include Stroman provides added depth and flexibility in the bullpen. However, the loss of Cortes underscores the need for the remaining rotation to step up and deliver in the high-pressure series against the Guardians.
- Yankees add struggling starting pitcher to ALCS roster
- Yankees leave speedy outfielder off ALCS roster
- Yankees’ workhorse lefty starter likely out for the rest of the playoffs
With the Yankees’ pitching depth tested, their postseason hopes now rest on their remaining arms and the performance of their key hitters. Whether Stroman will be called upon remains uncertain, but his presence gives the team a backup option should they need one.