When the New York Yankees lost Juan Soto to the Mets and chose to focus their efforts on improving their pitching staff — including signing Max Fried to a lucrative eight-year deal — many questioned what they would do with a deep rotation as the offseason progressed.
They eased some of the tension by trading away Nestor Cortes Jr. to the Brewers in exchange for All-Star closer Devin Williams, though that still left them with six viable options for the starting rotation: Fried, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Marcus Stroman.
Stroman appears to be the odd man out in that lineup, as he's repeatedly popped up in trade rumors since the Fried signing. The Yankees even reportedly offered him to the Cardinals in exchange for Nolan Arenado, though St. Louis quickly shot down that idea.
Heading into the second year of his two-year, $37 million contract — though he notably has a player option that vests if he exceeds 140+ innings in 2025 — Stroman could present a solid value for teams that have been scared off by the prices of starting pitching this offseason.
What Can the Yankees Get For Stroman?
Considering that 37-year-old Alex Cobb (fresh off a season in which he made three starts) and 41-year-old Charlie Morton just received one-year, $15 million deals in free agency, paying Stroman, a two-time All-Star, $18.5 million in 2025 doesn't sound like an outrageous idea.
Now, Stroman did struggle in his first season in the Bronx, posting a 4.31 ERA in 154 2/3 innings, with his strikeout rate (16.7%) and ground-ball rate (49.2%) declining significantly from his career norms. In the five years prior to 2024, his strikeout rate was 21.0%, and he induced ground-balls at a 53.2% clip.
Considering the fact that 2025 will be his age-34 season, and the fact that his velocity dipped to career-worst numbers last year, New York can't expect to receive a lucrative trade package in exchange for Stroman.
However, some optimism is in order given his home/road splits. At Yankee stadium, he was tagged for 15 home runs and surrendered an unsightly 5.31 ERA. Pitching away from the short porch in right field, he sported an impressive 3.09 mark. If a team with a more pitcher-friendly home ballpark were to come calling, Stroman could absolutely be a positive asset in a rotation in 2025.
A contending team with short-term money to spend and a hole in the rotation would make a lot of sense for Stroman. The Tigers fit that description cleanly, and they could offer a host of post-hype prospects that have yet to find their footing in the big leagues, like Matt Manning or Spencer Torkelson.
The San Francisco Giants, sans Blake Snell, have a need for a reliable pitcher in the rotation after Logan Webb, even with Justin Verlander in tow. Perhaps they'd be willing to give up Marco Luciano — who's now without an MLB home with Matt Chapman and Willy Adames swallowing up the left-side of the infield — in order to get Stroman in spacious Oracle Park.
The Yankees desperately need a left-handed reliever. Perhaps an intra-divisional swap with the Orioles — who desperately need to keep trying to replace Corbin Burnes — for Gregory Soto could make sense for both parties.
Regardless of exactly what kind of player(s) they target in a trade, the Yankees need offense and relief pitching. Stroman isn't the same ace who once earned Cy Young votes in 2017, but he's a steady pitcher who can offer teams a solid innings-eater (135+ IP in each of the past four seasons).
Yankees fans shouldn't expect the moon for Stroman, but a role player and some payroll relief aren't the worst returns in the world for a starting pitcher who is currently on the outside looking in on the rotation.