Yankees' Marcus Stroman Placed on 15-Day IL with Knee Injury

The hits keep coming to the New York Yankees pitching staff, with Marcus Stroman landing on the injured list.

New York announced on Saturday that Stroman was placed on the 15-day IL due to inflammation in his left knee.

The move comes after a horrendous start for Stroman on Friday against the San Francisco Giants. He was removed after recording just two outs, allowing five runs on four hits and three walks.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters after the game Stroman said his "left knee was bugging him" when he was pulled.

Boone added that Stroman underwent X-rays at Yankee Stadium and he went to a local hospital for additional testing.

There was speculation going into spring training that Stroman could open the season in the bullpen if he wasn't traded. The Yankees were planning on a rotation of Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Luis Gil, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt.

When asked about the possibility of pitching in relief, Stroman insisted he wasn't considering that option.

"I'm a starter. I won't pitch in the bullpen. I'm a starter," he said on Feb. 14.

A series of injuries to other starters allowed Stroman to open the year in the rotation. Cole is out for the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March. Gil is expected to be out until at least June due to a strained lat.

Schmidt, who opened the season on the IL with rotator cuff tendinitis, is expected to make his 2025 debut on April 15 or 16 coming off two scoreless minor-league rehab starts.

That timeline sets up perfectly for when Stroman likely would have made his next start on April 16 against the Kansas City Royals.

Stroman signed a two-year, $37 million deal with the Yankees as a free agent in January 2024. He had a 4.31 ERA in 154.2 innings over 30 appearances in his first season in the Bronx.

Through three starts this season, Stroman posted an 11.57 ERA with 12 hits allowed and as many walks as strikeouts (seven) in 9.1 innings.