Sometimes, a headache can cost you a career. That is the ghost of Wally Pipp, the legendary Yankee who stepped out of the lineup for one day — and never got his job back. When he turned up to a game with a headache and asked for an aspirin, the Yankees manager started Gehrig, and as Pipp later said, “I took the two most expensive aspirin in history.” Now, a top insider indicates that the same ghost may be haunting another pinstriped player. In a recent “Locked On Yankees” podcast, Brian McKe couldn’t help but convey that Marcus Stroman “feels like he’s been Wally Pipped almost off this roster.” It’s a chilling parallel — and one that begs the question: Is Stroman’s time in the Bronx already over?

Stroman’s time with the Yankees has been a rocky one from the very beginning. He signed a two-year, $37 million deal last offseason but struggled down the stretch in 2024. He didn’t even throw a pitch in the Yankees’ playoff run. That fight continued into the season, when he had an unthinkable 11.57 ERA through three starts before he was placed on the injured list with knee inflammation on April 12. After declaring firmly in spring training that he “won’t pitch in the bullpen,” the veteran righty is now singing a different tune, saying he’s “open to anything.”

That change in tune might be too little, too late, according to one insider. Speaking on the “Locked On Yankees” podcast, Brian McKeon didn’t mince words. “I’m going to be honest with you… I don’t know what the role is for Marcus Strowman,” he confessed. McKeon completely dismissed the idea of a platoon, explaining you simply “can’t do that to guys” who are such “creatures of habit” in today’s game. This conviction is what led to his stunning conclusion that Stroman now “feels like he’s been Wally Pipped almost off this roster.”

The reason for this stark assessment is the emergence of Ryan Yarbrough. McKe was emphatic on this point, stating, “I think there is less than a 0% chance they platoon Yarro and Strowman.” His reasoning was simple and direct: “Yarborough’s been good enough or him not to go back to the bullpen. Honestly, he’s been that good.” McKeon’s final verdict was as brutal as it was clear, suggesting Stroman “might have played his way off the roster.” It’s a classic case of what he calls “the unfortunate nature of sports.“

The numbers certainly support the insider’s contention. While Stroman was getting clobbered for 12 runs over a little more than nine innings, Yarbrough has proved to be a stabilizer. The slender southpaw has a solid 3.96 ERA in 50 innings. He has been a reliable “innings eater” for a team that badly needed one. After a rough start against Boston, where he gave up eight runs, Yarbrough bounced back immediately, allowing only one run in his next outing against the same Red Sox team.

Manager Aaron Boone‘s trust in Yarbrough seems to echo the insider’s assessment. Boone has publicly praised his pitcher, stating, “Yarbs has done a great job for us.” The skipper values Yarbrough’s unique style, highlighting his ability to induce “soft contact” with a “funk and pitch mix” that frustrates hitters.

Yankees’ pitching logjam

Given the team’s current rotation, the path for Stroman seems even more crowded. The Yankees have a good five-man rotation right now. That includes ace-level arms such as pitchers like Carlos Rodón and Max Fried, who signed a massive eight-year deal. Steady righty Clarke Schmidt is back and healthy, while rookie Will Warren is getting traction. And there’s, of course, Ryan Yarbrough, who has cemented his place as a reliable starter for the team.

The logjam is only going to get worse for Stroman. Luis Gil, last year’s AL rookie of the year, is expected back from a lat injury toward the All-Star break. When he returns, the Yankees will have six good starters. And that’s not even to mention the team’s true ace, Gerrit Cole, who is out for the season but will reclaim his throne next year.

This incredible depth makes a high-priced, struggling pitcher like Stroman seem expendable.