Even without stepping onto the mound since April, Marcus Stroman has somehow found his name right back in the trade conversations. And well, not in a bad way. For a player stuck on the injured list with a rather mysterious knee issue and holding an ERA of 11.57 in just three starts, that is surprising. But here is a twist no one saw coming. Stroman’s absence might be working in the New York Yankees’ favor.

See, Marcus Stroman signed a two-year, $37 million deal last off-season. And that contract came with a big catch—an $18 million player option for 2026, only if he hits 140 innings. So teams weren’t crazy about it. Back in the winter, when the Yankees did try to move him, no one wanted to bite on the deal. Because no one wanted to cling on in case things went south.

Fast forward to May, and the math or winds are starting to swing the Yankee way.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Stroman falling short of the innings threshold could be a blessing for the pinstriped team. “Yankees starter Marcus Stroman’s trade value is actually increasing by being on the injured list. Now that he’s sidelined, he won’t be able to automatically exercise his player option since he’ll fall short of 140 innings.” So with fewer financial strings attached, his trade stock is rising, especially in this starved, reliable arms market.

If Marcus Stroman can get healthy and make even a few solid starts before the deadline, it could be enough for a contender to take a chance. But even beyond the numbers, there is the thing about vibes. The Stroman experiment hasn’t worked well for the New York Yankees. He had skipped the spring training, cut ties with the team on socials, and wasn’t buying into the Yankee way. Plus, one can’t forget his “I am a starter” statement! The clubhouse culture is something the Yankees guard fiercely, so this attitude maybe doesn’t work.

Also, New York is sitting atop the AL East and looking for a deep run. They have been patching together their rotation with Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt, and Will Warren. Meanwhile, they are also waiting on Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil. Right now, maybe Stroman might not be an essential, but if he regains form, he can be more valuable—he can be tradable.

The Ruthian rise of New York Yankees Aaron Judge

For now, though, the New York Yankees fans have so much more to think about. Because, if you blink, you might just miss history being made. Aaron Judge is putting together a season that feels like something out of a baseball fairy tale. On May 16, the New York Yankees slugger reached base for the 100th time this season. But that’s not even the wild part.

Judge did it in 44 games! And the last guy to do that is none other than Barry Bonds, back in 2002. And before that, only two Yankees—Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth in the 20s and 30s—hit that mark so quickly. So, Judge’s name being in the same list as Mantle, Ruth, and Bonds is not him being hot, but historical. Judge, though, is not flirting with greatness; he is chasing it down in full stride.

Through 205 plate appearances, Aaron Judge is batting .402 with a .488 on-base percentage and a .753 slugging percentage. He has hit 15 home runs already and is leading the American League in both. And his bWAR is a 3.7. According to Baseball Reference, Judge’s career OPS of 1.0209 is the third-best ever among right-handed hitters. This is more than just elite.

Judge, for sure, is proving this is not just another MVP run. Don’t you think? Let us know.