New York Yankees right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman continues to struggle during rehab starts. He has been in MLB for 11 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Yankees.
Right now, Stroman is in the midst of trying to come back from a knee injury. His recent rehab outings, though, have not been cause for celebration in the Yankees’ organization.
Yankees RHP Marcus Stroman’s Lack of Control Could Lead to End of Career
Stroman, at 5’7″ and 180 pounds, has mowed down hitters with his mix of intelligence, tenacity, and nerve. Through the highs and lows, Stroman managed to push through a bad start that led to a good one.
A two-time All-Star, Stroman is in the midst of trying to save his MLB career. The 34-year-old righty can’t seem to find a groove in the minors. The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner details Stroman’s issues and what that could mean for him in his quest to rejoin the Yankees.
“Stroman was uninspiring Tuesday night with Double-A Somerset, allowing 10 hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings,” Kirschner wrote. “He has a 6.97 ERA over three rehab starts, but Stroman’s lack of precision with his command is even more alarming than the poor results.
“If Stroman can’t command his pitches at this career stage, it’s nearly impossible for him to succeed in the major leagues,” Kirschner wrote. “Since the start of 2024, Stroman’s Stuff+ ranked fourth-worst among all MLB starters with at least 150 innings. A waning ability to hit his spots combined with underwhelming stuff wouldn’t inspire much confidence every fifth day if he were to return to the Yankees’ rotation.”
Stroman lost to the Erie SeaWolves. His inability to consistently generate outs raises the reddest of flags. No matter how talented they are, playing a Double-A team should not result in more runs than innings pitched.
Instead of using these matchups as tune-ups to return to the Bronx, Stroman looks lost. Some think it may be time for him to hang up the spikes, enjoy his millions, and walk into the sunset.
Stroman needs his control on the mound. If it wanes, then he cannot help the Yankees, whether in the bullpen or starting rotation.
New York’s front office needs to make a decision quickly. If it does not think Stroman looks ready, then the team might send him down to Single-A for a month or two more. In contrast, if he seems helpless on the mound, then it may be time to shut him down for the year.