Marcus Stroman is sixth on the New York Yankees starting pitching depth chart

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The Yankees are struggling to find a trade partner for Marcus Stroman, and according to The New York Post’s Joel Sherman, they may have no choice but to eat a significant chunk of his contract. Speaking on ESPN Radio’s The Michael Kay Show this Friday, Sherman made it clear that the market for Stroman is nearly nonexistent.

“There’s not a market where you get rid of the majority of the money,” Sherman said. “There are still a lot of free-agent starters available, and teams aren’t looking to take on that kind of salary. The Yankees are going to have to lower his cost so much that it might not even be worth it for them.”

Marcus Stroman, 33, is set to make $18 million this season and holds a player option for the same amount in 2026 if he reaches 140 innings. With Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt locked into rotation spots, Stroman is currently the odd man out. The Yankees have been actively shopping him since early January, but with few teams willing to take on that salary, Sherman believes they may have to cover up to $13 million just to make a trade happen.

A tough situation for Marcus Stroman

Marcus Stroman is sixth on the New York Yankees starting pitching depth chartNJ
Marcus Sherman also anticipates the Yankees will be cautious with how they handle Stroman’s status in spring training. “They’ll play some nonsense game like, ‘Oh, we haven’t decided who our No. 1 starter is or who the five are, we’re just getting everybody ready,’ when everyone knows Stroman is the sixth starter,” he said. “That’s a veteran guy who knows where he stands. That’s going to be an uncomfortable camp.”

Unless an injury changes the equation, Marcus Stroman’s role would likely be as a long reliever if he stays in the Bronx. That’s not an ideal use of an $18 million pitcher, especially one coming off an inconsistent 2024 season where he posted a 4.31 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 154 2/3 innings.

The Yankees signed Max Fried in mid-December, further cementing Marcus Stroman’s status as an expendable piece. USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale reported in early January that the Yankees were aggressively trying to move him, but as Sherman pointed out, the team’s options are limited.

Unless the Yankees find a willing trade partner soon, they’ll have to make a tough decision—pay a large portion of Stroman’s salary to move him or keep him in a swingman role at a steep price.

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