An injured list stint was next up for Marcus Stroman. Stroman was placed on the 15-day injured list following his awful start for the Yankees on Friday night. After getting 2 outs and being charged with 5 earned runs, Stroman was placed on the 15-day injured list for the New York Yankees. The injured list stint for Stroman means 80% of the Yankees’ starting pitching rotation is currently on the injured list. Despite these problems with injuries, the problem with Stroman solves a problem the Yankees will have this week when Clarke Schmidt comes off the injured list. Do you think the Yankees have sustained too many injuries to their starting rotation to compete?
Injured Marcus Stroman by the Numbers
Marcus Stroman has been bad for some time. The numbers do not lie. Since June 1, 2024, he has pitched to a 5-8 record and 6.27 earned run average in 21 games (20 starts), including 12 runs allowed in 9 1/3 innings this year when he has pitched to an awful 11.57 earned run average. He was booed off the mound in the rain on Friday night, in the pouring rain. Stroman has been terrible for a long time. He nibbles on the edges of the plate rather than pitching aggressively. He has done this his entire tenure with the New York Yankees, the most recent injury being a left knee (inflammation).
The Yankees pay Marcus Stroman a lot of money to pitch poorly. Stroman has a $16 million conditional player option for 2026 that can be exercised if Stroman pitches at least 140 innings, which seems unlikely. Stroman signed a two-year, $37 million contract before the 2024 season. Stroman got off to a strong start, but his second-half struggles prompted a September move to the bullpen. He did not appear in the postseason. Despite the recent problems, Stroman has been an accomplished pitcher in his career. He is an 11-year veteran who has previously pitched with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.
Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) walks off the field after being relieved during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The 80% Problem
What this all means is that right now, 80%, 4/5, of the Yankees’ starting rotation are on the injured list. Strom and Schmidt are two of them. The other two are Luis Gil, the reigning Major League Baseball rookie of the year. He is out until June with a Lat pull. Also, Garritt Cole, who is the consensus best pitcher on the planet, will miss this entire season after getting Tommy John surgery.
A Paucity and a Logjam of Starting Pitching
By placing Stromam on the injured list, the Yankees solve a problem. Clarke Schmidt, a Yankees starting pitcher who is now on the injured list, has made two good rehabilitation starts with the Yankees’ AA affiliate in Somerset. Schmidt is supposed to come off the Injured List and start for the Yankees by Wednesday against the Royals. Without disabling Stroman, the Yankees could have demoted Will Warren (he who got his first major league victory Saturday against the Giants) to Triple-A, as Warren has two Minor League options remaining, or risk losing right-hander Carlos Carrasco on waivers to another team for nothing.
Conclusion
If the Yankees win the American League this season, it will be despite these injuries to their starting pitchers. That is not all, gargantuan designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton has tendinitis in both of his elbows, and oft-injured third baseman DJ LeMahieu is injured again as well. One good thing is that as the Yankees get these injured players back, it will be like making trades for them, though the Yankees will have to make some difficult decisions about the roster.
