The Yankees have subtracted from their rotation one day after being unable to add a starter at the trade deadline. New York released veteran righty Marcus Stroman on Friday, the team announced. It was part of a series of moves to get the club’s deadline additions, including relievers David Bednar and Camilo Doval, on the active roster.
Stroman, 34, allowed four runs in five innings in Thursday afternoon’s win (NY 7, TB 4). He has a 6.23 ERA in nine starts around a knee injury that sidelined him from mid-April through late-June. Stroman has pitched a bit better in six starts since returning, but it’s still a 4.55 ERA and under five innings per start, on average.
The Yankees signed Stroman to a two-year, $37 million contract last offseason. It includes an $18 million option for 2026 that would have vested with 140 innings in 2025, though Stroman wasn’t going to reach that threshold because of the knee injury. The Yankees are on the hook for the remainder of his $18 million salary this season.
Back in spring training, there was a minor fuss when Stroman declared “I’m a starter” after it appeared he was heading for a bullpen role. Gerrit Cole’s Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil’s lat strain created a need in the rotation, though, so Stroman opened 2025 as a starting pitcher. Those injuries kept him in the rotation following his knee injury.
Releasing Stroman means the Yankees will stick with rookie righty Cam Schlittler, one of the top breakout prospects in the minors this season. He has a 4.91 ERA through his first three major-league starts. New York’s rotation depth chart currently looks like this:
RHP Gerrit Cole(will miss 2025 with Tommy John surgery)- LHP Max Fried
- LHP Carlos Rodón
RHP Luis Gil(out with lat strain)RHP Clarke Schmidt(will miss rest of 2025 with Tommy John surgery)- RHP Will Warren
LHP Ryan Yarbrough(out with oblique strain)- RHP Cam Schlittler
- RHP Allan Winans
Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, completed a minor-league rehab assignment earlier this week and will make his season debut Sunday, effectively replacing Stroman in the rotation. Yarbrough had a 3.83 ERA in eight starts earlier this year. He’s been out since late-June and only recently started a throwing program, so he will miss a few more weeks.
The Yankees were in the market for a starting pitcher prior to Thursday’s trade deadline and were connected to all the popular trade candidates. Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, etc. They ultimately struck out on a starter but did have an active deadline. The Yankees made five trades Thursday and eight over the last week, overhauling their bench and bullpen.
“We try to improve every aspect of the club and this is what we have to show for these efforts,” GM Brian Cashman told reporters following the trade deadline. “We certainly knocked on many doors regarding potential starting pitching, but obviously we weren’t able to match up in that category.”
Stroman is the second veteran player the Yankees have released this season. Infielder DJ LeMahieu was released with $22 million remaining on his contract on July 9. Once Stroman clears release waivers, any team will be able to sign him for the prorated league minimum. He must sign before 11:50 p.m. ET on August 31 to be postseason-eligible, however.
Stroman’s stint with the Yankees did not go especially well: 4.69 ERA in 38 starts and one relief appearance. He was on the ALCS and World Series rosters last year, but did not appear in a game. As recently as 2023, Stroman threw 136 ⅔ innings with a 3.95 ERA. Pitching is in short enough supply league-wide that he’s likely to catch on somewhere.
After struggling for much of June and July, the Yankees have won three straight and 12 of their last 20 games. They are 60-49 and 3 ½ games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. New York sits in the top wild card spot.
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