The New York Yankees are willing to pay to move starting pitcher Marcus Stroman. According to New York Post columnist Jon Heyman, the Yankees are willing to pay part of the $18 million salary due to Stroman for 2025 to help facilitate a trade.
“The Yankees are still trying to trade Marcus Stroman and are willing to pay down his $18M salary,” Heyman wrote on Thursday.
After signing left-hander Max Fried this winter, the Yankees’ rotation is full with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt and 2024 American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil. New York already dealt left-hander Nestor Cortes to the Milwaukee Brewers this winter.
While there is always a need for starting pitching depth, Stroman’s $18 million salary, which also comes with a conditional 2026 player option worth $18 million if he throws 140 innings in 2025, isn’t one the Yankees want to carry for a spot starter.
Stroman, who signed the two-year, $37 million deal last offseason, made 30 appearances (including 29 starts) for the Yankees in 2024. He went 9-10 with a 4.31 ERA, his highest since 2018 with the Toronto Blue Jays. After a decent first half, posting a 3.31 ERA, Stroman blew up in his last 11 appearances, allowing 33 earned runs in 49 ⅔ innings. He did not appear in the Yankees’ playoff run to the World Series.
Stroman’s home (5.31 ERA) and road (3.09) splits also give the Yankees an angle to sell the veteran right-hander.
Heyman suggests the Yankees could use any money they save by dealing Stroman on an infielder. They could also save on the luxury tax.
According to FanGraphs' Roster Resource, the Yankees have a $303 million luxury taxable payroll, which is just above the fourth-and-highest tax threshold of $301 million. That would be the difference between the Yankees paying a 110% tax rate on their payroll rather than a 95% rate.
