Marcus Stroman's rehab start disaster was the last thing Yankees wanted to see

The New York Yankees need Marcus Stroman now more than they've needed him at any point this season - yes, including when he was a member of the Opening Day rotation.

Stroman's spring was odd; he arrived without a starting role guaranteed to him, made it clear he wouldn't pitch for the Yankees without a rotation spot, then watched several of his competitors collapse around him. By the end of camp, it was no longer an issue; there was no other choice.

Unfortunately for Stroman, he scuffled early, then imploded against the San Francisco Giants in a sopping wet game where he was clearly compromised by what was determined to be a knee problem. The Yankees turned instead to several patchwork options in his wake, but settled on Ryan Yarbrough, who was largely excellent for two months ... before he felt a tweak in his oblique.

The Yankees tried Allan Winans first to fill Yarbrough's rotation spot, and after three ridiculous innings (on just 24 pitches), the wheels fell off and the Yankees' offense fell hopelessly behind. These rotation injuries always tend to coincide with returning pieces, because the cosmos have strange impulses, and so Winans seemed sure to give way to Stroman, potentially as soon as the next turn through the rotation.

Stroman, now willing to be a bullpen piece if called upon, breezed through 6 2/3 frames across two starts ... before smashing face-first into the side of a cliff in Attempt No. 3. Did you watch Chase Burns against the Yankees Tuesday night? This was ... the opposite of that. Witnesses said he was merely hitting 89 mph with spotty command, which is just about where the Yankees left him in April.

Yankees' rotation solution Marcus Stroman faceplants in rehab assignment Tuesday

Stroman, according to local reporter Mike Ashmore, will not be speaking with the media tonight.

This was supposed to be Stroman's final rehab outing before rejoining the Yankees - and, because of the rules of engagement, it probably still will be. That's the most frustrating part. This marriage was about to be a happy one again. Stroman had a defined role to play. Without his option year looming in 2026, he might've even been able to turn himself into a trade piece.

Now? There's not much to say.