Veteran Pitcher's Salary Complicates New York Yankees' Offseason Plans

As the New York Yankees try to build the best roster possible, the salary one of their starting pitcher has is proving to complicate things.

Sep 25, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman (0) pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

As the New York Yankees try to finalize their roster for the upcoming 2025 season, the question of what to do with the contract of veteran starting pitcher Marcus Stroman looms heavily.

General manager Brian Cashman made quite the splash last winter when he inked Stroman to what seemed to be a low-risk, high-reward two-year, $37 million contract with a vesting option for 2026.

The move was geared toward providing the team stability in its starting rotation behind ace Gerrit Cole, but one year later, the club has achieved that goal via alternative means.

According to Greg Joyce of The New York Post, the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins could be possible landing spots for Stroman, whose salary currently has New York sitting slightly above the highest luxury tax threshold of $301 million.

His signing looked like an inspired move for much of the 2024 campaign, as he got red-hot after April with a 1.67 ERA over six starts in May.

He followed that up, though with a 5.13 mark in June, a 5.50 figure in July, and closed the regular season with an 8.80 in September. That slump to close the year brought manager Aaron Boone and the team to a breaking point, as Stroman was left off the club's roster for the ALDS in October.

Cashman and the Yankees once again set out this offseason to bolster their starting rotation, and they landed a much bigger fish this time around in left-handed ace Max Fried, previously of the Atlanta Braves.

With Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt rounding out the club's stable of starters, Stroman is the odd man out.

And because of the contract the right-hander has, the Yankees seem to be passing up opportunities to improve the roster, likely in large part due to them sitting above the luxury tax.

For a team with some uncertainty in the infield, it was difficult to see coveted shortstop Ha-Seong Kim sign a new deal with New York's AL East rival, the Tampa Bay Rays.

There are other holes the Yankees could be filling aside from the infield, too, as there are questions about the caliber of the bullpen behind the team's two-headed monster of Devin Williams and Luke Weaver.

Stroman could be dealt before the start of the campaign, but if he's not, expect the intrigue to continue until there's a resolution.