Marcus Stroman said it himself: he’s a starter.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that the veteran right-hander will start the Yankees’ Grapefruit League opener on Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The expectation is that Stroman will throw just the first inning.
The 33-year-old’s name has circulated through trade rumors since the beginning of the offseason. After an underwhelming first year in pinstripes, he was shelved for the entire postseason. New York then signed another starter in lefty Max Fried, prompting Stroman’s future to become an even bigger question mark.
Stroman reported to Tampa last week alongside his fellow Yankee pitchers and catchers. He received his mandatory physical on that Tuesday but was the only player to “no-show” the club’s first two workouts in the following days.
The situation raised some eyebrows, but he was not necessarily breaking any rules. As outlined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Stroman had until Feb. 22 to officially report for workouts.
Nonetheless, he returned to the field on Friday. He joked to reporters that he was “technically early” before emphasizing that he was ready to pitch regardless of the outside noise.
“At this stage in my career, I put a priority on getting my body ready,” Stroman said. “I don’t think there was a need for me to be here the last few days, given the climate. I talked to [Boone]. We had a great conversation. Everything’s honestly perfect and seamless, and my relationship to guys in the clubhouse hasn’t changed. I feel great to be back and I’m ready to roll.”
Still, Stroman’s role within the organization remains unclear. As it stands, he’s the sixth starter in a five-man rotation behind Gerrit Cole, Fried, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt. But when asked by reporters if he would consider taking on the role of a reliever, he adamantly declined.
“I’m a starter,” he said. I won’t pitch in the bullpen. I’m a starter.”
While unshakably candid, Stroman is not wrong. The two-time All-Star has started 30-plus games in four different seasons throughout his career. He started 29 outings with the Yanks last year with a sole relief appearance down the stretch.
When asked about Stroman’s straightforward declaration, general manager Brian Cashman agreed.
“He’s a competitor,” Cashman said. “He’s fought his way through pro ball to being a hell of a starter for quite some time. I agree with him, he is a starter. So let’s see how everything plays out. In six weeks of Spring Training, there’s typically a lot of twists and turns and winding roads before you get to Opening Day.”
As Cashman alluded to, the Yankees have already seen their fair share of twists and turns since packing their bags for Florida. In his Wednesday press address, Boone listed off a handful of injured players; one of which was Schmidt, who is currently dealing with a “cranky back.”
The Yankee manager doesn’t believe it will be a major issue, noting that the 29-year-old righty threw an “aggressive” flat-ground session that same day. But as the team heads down the bumpy road to Opening Day, a starting spot could be up for grabs.
The Bronx Bombers’ 2025 spring training opener against the Rays on Friday is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET. Viewers at home can follow the action on YES Network or MLB Network.
