In an effort to bolster what was a struggling starting rotation in 2023, the New York Yankees have signed two-time All-Star starter, Marcus Stroman.
Stroman’s deal is worth $18.5 million over two years. It also has a third-year vesting option if he exceeds 140 innings pitched in the second year of the contract.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that a deal was in place, while SNY’s Andy Martino shared the terms.
Right-hander Marcus Stroman and the New York Yankees are in agreement on a contract, sources tell ESPN. Stroman, 32, was an All-Star with the Cubs in 2023 and had a great first half but struggled down the stretch and finished with a 3.95 ERA.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 12, 2024
Stroman deal is for two years at 18.5 mil per year plus a vesting option, per source
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) January 12, 2024
Stroman’s 3rd year option vests with 140 innings pitched in year two, per sources
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) January 12, 2024
Stroman himself spoiled the news earlier, posting a photo of himself wearing a Yankees uniform on Instagram.
Marcus Stroman just posted this on Instagram pic.twitter.com/HXWDck4Tlp
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) January 12, 2024
New York’s starting rotation was below average in 2023. Yankees starters posted a cumulative ERA of 4.44, 18th in the league. That total looks even worse when considering the 2.63 ERA that American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole posted for the Yankees. In games not started by Cole, New York’s starters compiled a 5.06 ERA.
Stroman should give the Yankee rotation some of the depth it’s lacked in recent seasons. In two seasons with the Cubs, he posted a 3.73 ERA. He made his second career All-Star team in 2023, behind a 2.96 ERA at the All-Star break, but struggled down the stretch, putting up an 8.63 ERA in the second half and a 3.95 ERA on the season.
In many ways, Stroman is something of a throwback pitcher. He doesn’t strike a lot of hitters out. Only once in his career (2019) did Stroman finish with more strikeouts than innings pitched. In two years with the Cubs, he struck out 7.8 hitters per nine innings pitched. He’ll certainly have to keep the ball down, especially given the hitter-friendly nature of his new home park, Yankee Stadium, and the others in the American League East.
The potentially bigger concern is Stroman’s durability. While he’s generally been an effective pitcher on the mound, he’s struggled to get there. Stroman opted out of the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. He returned in 2021 and pitched 179 innings for the Mets. But he followed that with 138.2 innings and 136.2 innings in 2022 and 2023, respectively, with the Cubs.
[Jeff Passan, Andy Martino, Talkin’ Yanks]
