Stroman reports to Yankees camp, says he won’t pitch out of bullpen

Marcus Stroman‘s arrival at New York Yankees spring training Friday was anything but quiet.

The subject of various trade rumours this off-season, Stroman missed the first two days of Yankees team workouts in a situation manager Aaron Boone called “awkward.”

“At this stage I put a priority on getting my body ready. I don’t think there was a need for me to be here in the last few days,” Stroman told reporters Friday. “I talked to Boonie, we had a great conversation. Everything is perfect and seamless.”

Though he wasn’t required to participate in spring training until Feb. 22, according to the collective bargaining agreement, most players arrive on the voluntary reporting date.

“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. Everyone’s happy on this day.”

Stroman is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he posted a 4.31 ERA over 154.2 innings in the Bronx. Last off-season, he landed with the Yankees on a two-year, $37-million contract. But with New York signing Max Fried in December, Stroman appears to be the odd man out of the Yankees’ rotation, slotting behind Fried, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt.

And it seems a move to the bullpen is off the table.

“I’m a starter. I won’t pitch in the bullpen. I’m a starter,” Stroman said.

“That’s me making the most basic, brief statement. Go look at the numbers,” he later added. “How many people can stay healthy and do it 30+ starts year after year? I’m a starter.”

Despite his claims, the 10-year MLB veteran has pitched as a reliever in each of the last two years and was moved to a relief role for the ALCS and World Series last fall, but didn’t end up having his number called in either series.

“Playoffs, there’s different roles,” Stroman replied, when asked about the role change last fall. “That calls for you to be in different circumstances. I was completely fine with that.”

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Yankees have “been trying for months to move Stroman.” But with the $18 million Stroman is set to make in 2025 and the rotation crunch in New York, it is ready to move on after just one season.

Another wrinkle in finding a potential deal for Stroman is that he has a $18-million player option for 2026 that he can exercise, should he throw 140 innings this season.

Asked how much he’d like to stay in New York, Stroman didn’t seem too concerned about where he winds up pitching in 2025.

“I’m good wherever I may be,” he said. “I love everybody in this clubhouse. Everybody knows that. You can ask my teammates the relationship I have with them.”

— With files from The Associated Press

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