Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that earlier this winter, the New York Yankees tried to trade Marcus Stroman to the San Francisco Giants. In the proposed trade, left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers would have been sent to the Yankees to strengthen their bullpen. However, the Giants declined the offer, as they had strong confidence in their young starters.
With Luis Gil suffering a high-grade lat strain, the Yankees’ failed attempts to move Stroman may not come back to haunt them, though they were motivated to offload his contract. Not only were the Yankees aiming to avoid paying his $18 million salary for 2025, but they also recognized the possibility of a 2026 vesting option that Stroman is likely to activate if he hits 140 innings.
The Yankees have struggled to find a trade partner for Stroman, but with rotation injuries, they might now be less inclined to trade him. Stroman had a disappointing first year of a two-year deal he signed with the Yankees last offseason, with his fastball velocity dropping by nearly two MPH. He finished with a 4.31 ERA and was moved out of the rotation in September. However, with Gil now injured, Stroman is expected to be reinserted into the rotation.
Though the Yankees haven’t officially named their fifth starter yet, Stroman seems to have an advantage in the competition due to his salary and the fact that Will Warren can still be sent to Triple-A. While this may not be the ideal situation for fans or management, the Yankees are facing limited starting pitching options and need to ensure they have enough arms available for the 2025 season.
Injuries have already severely impacted the Yankees’ pitching depth, with JT Brubaker suffering rib fractures and Chase Hampton requiring Tommy John surgery. Before these setbacks, the Yankees were likely eager to trade Stroman to the Giants for Rogers, who could have added bullpen depth and had just one year left on his deal. However, with questions in the infield and at DH, the Yankees are in need of right-handed hitting, though their financial flexibility is limited.
Brian Cashman might be waiting for veterans to become more desperate, but one veteran who won’t settle for a minor league deal is outfielder Adam Duvall. Sherman reported that Duvall will retire unless he receives $3 million. Considering the Yankees’ 110% luxury tax, it’s understandable if the team decides against paying that amount to a player who posted a -1.0 fWAR last season.
Nevertheless, the Yankees may have narrowly avoided a disaster in their starting rotation with the injuries to other pitchers.
