Back in camp, Stroman says: 'I¡¯m a starter. I won¡¯t pitch in the bullpen'
TAMPA, Fla. -- Teammates greeted Marcus Stroman with hugs and backslaps inside the Yankees' clubhouse on Friday morning, welcoming the veteran right-hander back to camp after a two-day absence amid swirling trade rumors.
Stroman quipped that he was ¡°technically early,¡± referring to a Feb. 22 report date mandated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and said he is physically ready to continue preparing as a starting pitcher for the upcoming season.
¡°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 [manager Aaron 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.¡±
Yankees pitchers and catchers reported to George M. Steinbrenner Field on Tuesday, including Stroman, who underwent a mandatory physical examination on that date.
Stroman was then absent from the first two workouts, which included live batting-practice sessions thrown by Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rod¨®n. Stroman said he has been facing hitters on his own and is built up from a stamina perspective.
¡°I just felt like today was a good day to come,¡± Stroman said. ¡°Valentine¡¯s Day; I feel like the vibes are going to be proper. Everybody is happy on this day.¡±
Stroman said he experienced a ¡°tough¡± offseason, which included the complete destruction of his Malibu, Calif. home in last month¡¯s Palisades Fire.
¡°I¡¯ve been dealing with a lot,¡± Stroman said. ¡°If anybody can donate to the Assistance League, there¡¯s a lot of charitable organizations and foundations. There¡¯s a lot of people that are going through a lot out there right now. A lot of families from lower-income cities and towns have lost completely everything.¡±
Stroman, 33, pitched to a 10-9 record and a 4.31 ERA across 30 games (29 starts) with the Yankees last season, his first with the Bombers.
He was moved to the bullpen in September after experiencing second-half struggles and did not appear in the postseason, then was further displaced by the December signing of left-hander Max Fried.
At present, Stroman¡¯s role is unsettled, appearing to be the sixth choice for a five-man rotation that is also set to include Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt. Stroman said he would not consider beginning the season as a reliever, stating: ¡°I¡¯m a starter. I won¡¯t pitch in the bullpen. I¡¯m a starter.¡±
Cashman said he had no issue with Stroman¡¯s declaration, calling it, ¡°Vintage Stro.¡±
¡°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.
¡°We certainly hope everybody stays healthy, pitching to their highest level. But I know that we have a lot of quality pitching in camp, which is a good thing to start with, but how you start is usually not how you finish.¡±
Asked if the Yankees would consider a six-man rotation, Boone replied: ¡°Never say never. I mean, I don¡¯t necessarily see us doing that, but we¡¯ll see where we¡¯re at.¡±
Stroman¡¯s contract has presented a stumbling block to potential trades. He is owed $18 million this season, with an option for the same amount in 2026 that vests if he tosses 140 innings. The Cardinals have been shopping third baseman Nolan Arenado, but they have indicated they are not interested in Stroman.
¡°I¡¯m so grounded at this point. Nothing can really faze me,¡± Stroman said. ¡°I know who I am as a pitcher. I can compete at any level with any team. If I¡¯m here, if I¡¯m not here, my body is ready to roll. I¡¯m ready to go out there and give 30-plus starts.¡±