During spring training, Marcus Stroman of the New York Yankees was adamant about being a starting pitcher, even as it seemed he might be pushed out of the rotation. He stated that working out of the bullpen was not an option for him. The team faced a setback with Gerrit Cole requiring Tommy John surgery, while Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt began the season on the injured list, necessitating Stroman’s presence in the struggling starting staff. Holding onto him appeared to be a wise move initially. However, Stroman has not performed up to par in his first three starts of the season.
In a recent game against the San Francisco Giants, Stroman gave up five runs and four hits in less than an inning, contributing to a 9-1 loss. The Giants scored five runs, including a three-run homer, before recording an out, a rare feat for them. Stroman’s ERA sits at 11.57 with a 0-1 record, struggling to pitch beyond the fifth inning and consistently giving up multiple runs. Additionally, he has issued more walks than strikeouts in his recent outings.
After the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed that Stroman had been dealing with a knee injury, prompting further testing at a hospital. Stroman had not mentioned any knee issues before the game. If Stroman needs to go on the injured list, it could align well with Schmidt’s potential return from a shoulder injury. Schmidt showed promise in a recent rehab start, pitching four innings with no runs allowed.
Boone indicated that Schmidt might rejoin the Yankees’ rotation early in the week if his progress continues as planned.
