Home Sports Yankees still in market for infielder, but Marcus Stroman’s contract an issue

Yankees still in market for infielder, but Marcus Stroman’s contract an issue

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Yankees still in market for infielder, but Marcus Stroman's contract an issue

He yankees seems interested in moving to the right Marcos Stromman this offseason, but the veteran pitcher’s contract is an issue.

New York wants to settle the money owed to Stroman and use it to acquire another infielder and “not a particularly expensive one.” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reported on saturdayciting sources familiar with the club’s plans.

The Yankees still have an open question at third and second base, but they have internal options at both spots in case a move doesn’t happen.

However, there is a player option for the 2026 season on Stroman’s contract that is likely hindering his value on the trade market.

If the right-hander pitches 140 innings this season, Stroman’s option is activated that would owe him $18 million for the 2026 season.

Stroman, 34, pitched 154.2 innings in his first year with the Yankees, eclipsing the 136.2 innings and 138.2 innings he pitched in the previous two seasons in Chicago.

But unlike his time with the Cubs, his ERA took a big dip as he had a 4.31 ERA (4.62 FIP) with a 1.468 WHIP in 29 starts (with one appearance out of the bullpen). Stroman pitched to 3.50 and 3.95 ERAs in his first two seasons on the North Side and was an All-Star in 2023 before his form plateaued in the second half of the season.

In addition to seeing his strikeouts per nine dropped and his hits per nine innings skipped last year, the ground ball specialist had the lowest ground ball rate of his career, down 49.9 percent from 57.4 percent. in 2023.

Therefore, the Yankees would likely have to help offset the $18 million Stroman is owed for this season due to his pinstripe issues, as well as the possibility that he may be owed another $18 million next year if reaches his innings mark.

And any team looking to add Stroman would expect him to pitch more than 140 innings, even if they skip his starts at times, limit him to five innings per start or use him out of the bullpen, The Athletic report noted.

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