The New York Yankees may face some tough decisions regarding their roster for 2025, with several key players set to hit free agency, and potential trades on the horizon, including the possibility of moving right-hander Marcus Stroman.
Stroman, who is set to earn $18.3 million in 2025, didn’t play a significant role in the postseason despite his regular-season appearances. While his performance wasn’t spectacular throughout the year, his lack of postseason usage highlighted his limited impact on the Yankees’ pitching plans.
Given the size of his contract and his middling performance, trading Stroman could give the Yankees some financial flexibility to make upgrades elsewhere.
In a recent article for *Empire Sports Media*, Alexander Wilson suggested that trading Stroman could free up money for other needs, such as bolstering the starting rotation with a more reliable pitcher or addressing a glaring gap at first base.
One potential target for the Yankees could be Christian Walker, an elite defensive first baseman with solid offensive production, whose acquisition could be facilitated by trading Stroman.
FanSided’s Zachary Rotman also predicted that Stroman could be moved this offseason. He noted that with Stroman’s $18.3 million salary, the Yankees have some leeway to make a trade, especially given that Stroman’s performance last season (4.31 ERA over 30 starts) was underwhelming.
Despite eating innings, Stroman’s production wasn’t as good as his ERA suggested, and with Gerrit Cole locked in as the staff ace, Stroman might not even be in the starting rotation for 2025. The Yankees have other rotation options, including Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Nestor Cortes, which could make Stroman expendable.
By trading Stroman, the Yankees could reallocate the $18 million to other roster needs, most notably first base. Christian Walker is expected to earn a salary in the $20 million range, which aligns closely with Stroman’s contract.
Moving Stroman would free up the necessary funds to pursue Walker or another high-caliber first baseman, making it a strategic move to address one of the Yankees’ biggest areas of concern.
