Marcus Stroman no-showing workouts at start of Yankees camp

Gary Phillips, New York Daily News on Feb 13, 2025

Published in Baseball

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TAMPA, Fla. — Marcus Stroman reported to Yankees camp and took his physical when fellow pitchers and catchers were supposed to on Tuesday, but that’s about all he’s done so far this spring training.

The pitcher, the subject of offseason trade rumors and an odd man out in the Yankees’ rotation, has been absent from official on-field workouts in the two days since reporting. His locker at George M. Steinbrenner Field has also been empty, aside from some team-issued gear and a few packs of gum.

Stroman appeared on a list of pitchers scheduled to stretch and throw on a side field at GMS on Thursday morning, but the righty was nowhere to be found for the second straight day.

Asked about Stroman’s whereabouts, pitching coach Matt Blake said, “He’s in Tampa. He’s around.”

Stroman lives in Tampa, but he is not required to participate in workouts until Feb. 22, as stated in the collective bargaining agreement. According to Newsday’s Erik Boland, Stroman’s agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, informed the Yankees that his client wouldn’t be showing up for workouts just yet.

Aaron Boone said that he had an idea Stroman would not participate early on. The manager hopes to have him on the field in “the next few days” after talking to Stroman on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, but he noted that the pitcher is “within his rights.”

“Obviously, I want all our players here, clearly,” Boone said. “That said, I’m comfortable with where he’s at physically, mentally. He’s a prideful player. He’s a guy that’s had a great career. It’s a little bit of an awkward situation, obviously, so of course I want him here, and I’m trying to keep nudging him to get here. But you also have to respect the fact that this is something that players are allowed to do. There is a mandatory date, and he’s choosing that right now.”

Boone declined to say if Stroman shared a reason for his absence, but the Long Island native currently lines up as the Yankees’ sixth starter. Their rotation is full with Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt.

The Yankees have unsuccessfully tried trading Stroman, 33, following a disappointing debut season in the Bronx, but his $18 million salary has proven difficult to move. Stroman also has a 2026 option for the same sum that will vest if he throws 140 innings this season.

Further complicating things: there’s still some veteran starters on the open market who can likely be had for less than Stroman’s salary.

“It must be a unique and different situation that presents some challenges from the human side of things,” Cole said of the noise surrounding Stroman.

Boone said that he didn’t sense Stroman is dissatisfied with the Yankees, nor did he feel there was any animosity between the two. Boone added that Stroman has expressed that he wants to remain in pinstripes.

Stroman recently scrubbed his social media accounts, including Yankees-related content, but Boone has said that’s standard practice for the hurler every offseason.

The skipper has spoken highly of Stroman as a teammate. Gil and Schmidt, among others, have done the same in the past.

Cole offered his own endorsement on Thursday, calling Stroman “a really great teammate.”

“It’s not like it hasn’t happened before,” Cole said, referring to the mandatory date. “It doesn’t change my opinion of Marcus. I like him.”

Boone said he did not address Stroman’s absence with the team.

Boone also spoke with Stroman on Tuesday. Boone did not mention Stroman’s planned absence that day, but he said the pitcher never asked about his role on the team.

Stroman has been throwing and is “pretty built up,” according to Boone, though he didn’t have specifics.

The Yankees pivoted to the polarizing Stroman two offseasons ago after Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers. Stroman began the year on a high note, recording a 2.60 ERA over his first 12 starts. Then he logged a 5.70 ERA over his last 18 games. That span included a bumped start and a demotion to the bullpen. Stroman didn’t pitch in any playoff games, and he finished the year with a 4.31 ERA over 154 2/3 innings.

His ERA was the 15th highest of any pitcher who threw at least 150 innings. His 7.9 K-BB% was the worst in baseball, while his 1.47 WHIP ranked third-worst. The .275 average he allowed was fourth-worst.

Stroman projects as the next man up in case the rotation suffers an injury, but the Yankees also have veterans JT Brubaker and Carlos Carrasco among their depth options.