Yankees' Marcus Stroman 'Open to Anything' After Previously Dismissing Bullpen Role

New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, who is rehabbing in the minor leagues after landing on the injured list on April 12 with left knee inflammation, said he'd be open to a bullpen role after previously dismissing the notion.

“I’m open to anything,” Stroman said, per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, after he threw 3.1 innings of one-run ball while striking out four for Double-A Somerset on Wednesday afternoon.

Last February, Stroman was not open to moving to the bullpen.

“I’m a starter,” the 34-year-old said, per Kuty. “I won’t pitch in the bullpen.”

However, Stroman now has a different opinion.

“I think everybody who has been a starter would want to be a starter,” Stroman noted. “I think that’s just natural at this point. I don’t think anybody who has had a career like I’ve had starting would just voluntarily say … you know. But obviously we have an incredible team, you don’t know how the season’s going to play out. There’s always a bunch of things that happen. So, yeah, I’m looking to get back to 100 percent, which I feel pretty close (to). Build my pitch count and take it from there.”

In the offseason, it didn't appear that Stroman would make the rotation, which would seemingly featured Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt.

However, Cole underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery, Gil suffered a strain lat that has kept him out all year and Schmidt dealt with right rotator cuff tendonitis that kept him out for the first couple weeks of the regular season.

The door was then open for Stroman to take a rotation spot. However, he struggled in three starts, posting a 11.57 ERA (2.04 WHIP) while striking out just seven. Obviously, Stroman's left knee ailment certainly had to do something with his rough beginning.

“There’s a bunch of a little mess going on there,” Stroman said on his left knee, where he suffered a torn ACL 10 years ago when he played for the Toronto Blue Jays. “I don’t really even like to talk about it at this point. It just is what it is. It’s 10 years removed on an ACL.”

Thankfully, the situation has clearly improved for Stroman.

“Way more confident position with my knee now than I was,” Stroman said, per Kuty.

Stroman, a two-time All-Star, has played 11 MLB seasons. He joined the Yankees on a two-year, $37 million contract before the 2024 season, with an option for 2026 that would vest in 2026 if he pitched 140 innings this year. Stroman has only pitched 9.1 innings thus far, so that appears unlikely.

Ultimately, it appears that Stroman's return would begin in the bullpen. The Yanks' rotation is set now with Rodón, Fried, Schmidt, Will Warren and Ryan Yarbrough. Perhaps a spot opens up down the road, but in the meantime, Stroman figures to be a reliever as the first-place Yanks look for back-to-back AL pennants.