Yankees' tough Marcus Stroman decision hopefully won't sour remainder of relationship

Just a few hours before Aaron Judge's massive game-winning grand slam vs. the Red Sox, the New York Yankees made a headline-grabbing roster decision. They shifted Marcus Stroman to the bullpen and will skip his next start. Nestor Cortes, who dominated his last two times out, will remain in the rotation.

For as unsatisfactory as Stroman's second half has been (5.40 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in nine starts), he's overall been good for the Yankees in 2024, providing tranquility, consistency, and a veteran presence to a rotation that's badly needed all three of those characteristics. Zooming out and looking at the whole picture, Stroman essentially fulfilled his end of the $18 million bargain this year. And the season isn't over yet.

It's unclear if Stroman will make an appearance out of the bullpen. Manager Aaron Boone said the right-hander will be available to pitch on Sunday and the Yanks will continue forth with their six-man rotation. Perhaps Stroman makes his seventh career relief appearance and the Yankees use it as one of his throwing sessions. His first four relief outings came during his rookie season and his last two game in 2023 when he was activated off the injured list in September during a lost season for the Chicago Cubs.

But even if Stroman were to work his way back into the pitching staff's good graces over the final two weeks of the year, the bullpen is probably where he'll be come October. And if he's not there, he's off the playoff roster. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil will be the postseason starters. At this point, Cortes is a hotter hand to carry (though that could change before October).

Could Stroman getting sent to the bullpen be the first move that sours the relationship between the two parties? We hope not, but we simply don't know what's going on behind the scenes. Our gut says Stroman is taking the team's decision in stride and will do whatever his guys need him to do to win a World Series. Boone confirmed Stroman was understanding and willing to take on any role to help his teammates.

Yankees' tough Marcus Stroman decision hopefully won't sour remainder of relationship

On the flip side, there are legitimate worries. Stroman is a 33-year-old veteran. He's a two-time All-Star and a Gold Glove-caliber defender. He's been one of the better pitchers in the league over the last decade. His career 3.69 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 259 games are proof of that.

For any accomplished player, this is a massive blow to one's ego. And Stroman's been known to go on the offensive when he's doubted, disrespected, or challenged. It happened back in 2019 when Brian Cashman told reporters he didn't aggressively target Stroman at the trade deadline because the Yankees didn't think he'd be a difference-maker in the playoffs. The two parties squashed that beef when Stroman joined the Yanks in the offseason, but Stroman retaliated with a critical Twitter rampage when he caught wind of the comments five years ago.

Stroman is signed through 2025 (for another $18 million) and has a vesting option for 2026 if he throws at least 140 innings next year. And he's unlikely to reject another $18 million entering his age-35 season. So there's a chance this is a three-year relationship.

If the Yankees utilize Stroman in a different role and make a special playoff run, we can bet this will be nothing more than water under the bridge. If it's decided he'll be left off the postseason roster and New York flames out early? Can't say we envision things looking peachy if that happens.

Nonetheless, Stroman has been an additive personality and understanding teammate in his first year with the Yankees. His interviews with the media are full of detail and personality, which is very much not the case with the rest of the players and coaches who fumble over their words and have nothing noteworthy to say. On the field, he was taken aside by Aaron Judge after his outburst in Toronto that seemingly took aim at Gleyber Torres, and Stroman apologized and put it behind him. We will say, a lot of fans enjoyed his fire in that moment. It served as a bit of a wake up call for a roster that has a tendency to lull itself to sleep.

Based on everything we knew about Stroman when he wasn't with the Yankees, we'd lean toward this situation turning into a disaster. But based on how we've come to know Stroman The Yankee, something tells us this is going to be handled professionally and the right-hander has plans to respond emphatically whenever he's called upon next.