Yankees' Marcus Stroman walks back starter-only stance: ‘Open to anything'
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman has changed his mind about reconsidering his role with the club.
The right-hander said he would be open to pitching out of the bullpen when he returns from the injured list after declaring that he wouldn't do it just a few months ago.
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'I'm open to anything,' he said after making his first rehab start at Double-A Somerset on Wednesday afternoon at TD Bank Ballpark.
With the Yankees in Kansas City, Stroman threw 3 1/3 innings, striking out four, walking two and giving up one hit and one earned run. He threw 46 pitches and touched 89 mph several times with his sinker, though he appeared to throw all of his pitches.
Stroman has been on the IL with left knee inflammation since April 12. He said the problem is the ACL that he tore in college.
'There's a bunch of a little mess going on there,' he said. 'I don't really even like to talk about it at this point. It just is what it is. It's 10 years removed on an ACL.'
Stroman added that he had a cortisone shot and a nerve blocker.
'It was something that I was feeling walking around,' he said.
Nice ovation for Marcus Stroman, who went 3 1/3 innings, striking out four with two walks, a hit and one earned run. Threw 46 pitches. Touched 89 mph a bunch with the sinker. pic.twitter.com/JWwlarbtmG
— Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) June 11, 2025
Stroman said he had been dealing with a 'crazy deep throb' and 'ache' in his knee, which has improved of late. He said he expected to feel soreness Thursday morning, but that he's learning to deal with it, and that he expects to make another rehab start next week.
'Way more confident position with my knee now than I was,' he said.
It's unclear what kind of role the Yankees may have for Stroman when he returns. They have a full five-man rotation with Ryan Yarbrough lately emerging as a viable fifth starter after they moved on from veteran Carlos Carrasco. Righty Luis Gil, who played catch at Somerset on Wednesday, is also working his way back from the injured list and could return sometime around the All-Star break. Gil won the American League Rookie of the Year last year.
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In spring training, there also didn't appear to be a spot in the rotation for Stroman, but then ace Gerrit Cole had Tommy John surgery, Gil strained his lat and Clarke Schmidt had right rotator cuff tendonitis. Stroman wound up making three starts before going on the IL, posting an 0-1 record with an 11.57 ERA.
Stroman said he hasn't spoken with the Yankees about his expected role yet.
'Just very open to whatever it may be,' he said.
Stroman had financial motivation to remain a starting pitcher going into the season. His $17-million option for 2026 would have kicked in if he pitched 140 innings this year. It's now virtually impossible for him to reach that mark this season.
In February, he shot down talk of him potentially going into a relief role.
'I'm a starter,' he said at the time. 'I won't pitch in the bullpen.'
Now, things have changed.
'I think everybody who has been a starter would want to be a starter,' he said. 'I think that's just natural at this point. I don't think anybody who has had a career like I've had starting would just voluntarily say … you know. But obviously we have an incredible team, you don't know how the season's going to play out. There's always a bunch of things that happen. So, yeah, I'm looking to get back to 100 percent, which I feel pretty close (to). Build my pitch count and take it from there.'
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