The New York Yankees have reportedly reached an agreement with free-agent right-hander Marcus Stroman on a two-year, $37 million contract that includes a vesting option for a third year, according to a source who spoke with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Stroman himself seemed to confirm the news by posting an image of himself in a Yankees uniform on his Instagram Stories.
The deal is pending a physical and has not been confirmed by the club. If finalized, it would mark a significant homecoming for Stroman, who hails from Medford, New York, just a short distance from the Yankees’ home base in the Bronx.
This isn’t the first time Stroman has been linked to the Yankees. In 2019, the team expressed interest in acquiring him before the trade deadline, when he was still with the Toronto Blue Jays. At the time, Stroman expressed his desire to pitch for the Yankees, citing his New York roots and his love for the “mecca of the world.”
Stroman, who has been a consistently above-average starter for most of his career since debuting with the Blue Jays in 2014, had a promising start to the 2023 season with the Chicago Cubs, earning his second All-Star nod. However, his season took a downturn in July due to injuries, limiting his innings for the second straight season.
Despite these setbacks, Stroman’s track record as a durable pitcher who excels at inducing ground balls and limiting damaging contact makes him an attractive addition to the Yankees’ rotation. However, his strikeout rates and walk rates raised some concerns among analysts.
The potential addition of Stroman, pending his physical examination, could bolster the Yankees’ pitching staff and add depth to their rotation as they look to compete in the highly competitive American League East.