The Stroman Headache

Marcus Stroman has drawn his line in the sand—he’s a starter, no ifs, ands, or buts. And honestly? The Yankees might want to start packing his bags. Will they actually trade him? That’s anyone’s guess. Meanwhile, Aaron Boone is playing it cool, insisting that the press… us, are making a big deal out of nothing (even though Stroman is clearly making it a big deal). Bottom line? If the Yankees move him, they could snag a decent return.

CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa recently put together a list of five players who could still be traded before Opening Day, and—surprise, surprise—Stroman made the cut. Axisa knows what he’s talking about, so his insight is worth noting. He floated the Angels as a possible landing spot, saying:

“There aren’t many. The best chance for a Stroman trade involves another team losing a starter or two to injury in spring training and having to scramble to add innings. Even then, guys like [Kyle] Gibson and [José] Quintana are available for just cash. To list a team, I’ll say the Angels.”

Translation? Unless another team gets hit with an injury crisis, finding a trade partner for Stroman won’t be easy. Why give up assets when you can sign a free agent for just money?

And speaking of criticism, broadcaster Michael Kay—who wasn’t a fan of the Yankees signing Stroman in the first place—didn’t hold back. He tore into the deal again on Feb. 14, after Stroman stirred up drama at Yankees Spring Training. On his ESPN radio show, Kay ranted:

“I’ve said over and over and over and over and over and over and over again that you cannot defend the Yankees signing that contract. It made no sense when they did it. It makes less sense now. So today, when he spoke with the media, he said, ‘I am not a reliever. I’m a starter. I’m not a reliever.’ So you know what that did? That was a square kick right in the cubes of the Yankee organization as they try to trade this guy.”

Not exactly subtle.

Let’s not forget—Stroman is set to make $18.5 million this season against the luxury tax, and if he throws 140 innings, his deal automatically extends into 2026. Will that happen? Maybe. But it’s far from guaranteed.

The Yankees have a choice: deal with the drama or get what they can while they still can. Stay tuned—this could get messy.