The New York Yankees have added a veteran right-hander to their rotation. New York and free agent Marcus Stroman have agreed to a two-year contract with an option for a third year, reports the New York Post. The deal is worth $18.5 million per season. The team has not yet confirmed the signing, which is pending a physical.
Stroman hinted at a contract agreement on social media:
Marcus Stroman just shared this. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/qg9irhMPUp
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) January 12, 2024
The Yankees and Stroman have not always had the greatest relationship. In Sept. 2019, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said they did not trade for Stroman at the deadline because they didn't view him as a difference-maker. Stroman took shots at the Yankees and Cashman on social media in response. All those references to the Yankees have since been scrubbed from Stroman's accounts.
Stroman, 32, had a 3.95 ERA in 136 2/3 innings amid hip and rib injuries with the Chicago Cubs last season. He started the year very well, pitching to a 2.88 ERA in his first 20 starts, then the injuries popped up, forcing Stroman to miss time. He allowed 26 runs in his final 18 innings once he returned from the injured list, dragging down his overall season numbers.
Our R.J. Anderson ranked Stroman as the eighth-best free agent available this offseason, and the fifth best starting pitcher. Here's his write-up:
Stroman had a year and $21 million remaining on his contract with the Cubs. Rather than stick around, he opted out to pursue what could be the final multi-year pact of his career. He's coming off his second All-Star campaign, an effort that saw him post a 113 ERA+ and a 2.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Stroman still generates ground balls by the bushel, but we do have two concerns: 1) he threw a below-average amount of strikes last season, contributing to a career-worst walk rate; 2) he failed to clear the 150-inning threshold for the second year in a row. Stroman is now nearing his age-33 season, and while we believe he'll remain an above-average starter in the near-term, it's probably fair to think some further decline is in order.
Stroman will join reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole in New York's rotation. Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes, and Clarke Schmidt will be in the rotation as well, though Cortes is coming back from a pair of shoulder injuries. The Yankees also signed depth starter Luke Weaver to a one-year, $2 million contract Thursday.
Because he received the qualifying offer earlier in his career, Stroman was not eligible to receive it again this offseason. As a result, he is not attached to draft pick compensation.
