The NY Yankees may be the team with the most injuries in the ongoing spring training season. Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Gil, and Gerrit Cole, to name a few. Now that Gil and Cole both were projected in the starting rotation, and now out of action for an indefinite period, who will take the lead? Marcus Stroman. Yes, the player who was just on the verge of getting traded from the Yankees a month ago. So, is Stroman eligible enough to get to the starting rotation? 

Well, more than Stroman’s eligibility, the Yankees cannot get any better replacement than Stroman on the team. In 2024, Stroman crossed the 140-inning mark after pitching 154⅔ innings in 30 games (29 starts) with a 4.31 ERA. However, Stroman was eventually kept off the Yankees’ ALDS 26-man roster due to his 5.70 ERA since the beginning of June. Thus, nothing to boast for him, but again, what’s left for the Yankees? The 2023 All-Star still has a little gas left to accelerate the NY Yankees this year. But is it enough to face the Dodgers—the bona fide pitching benchmark this year?

“Some of us raised our eyebrows when he said it is when Marcus Strowman said I’m a starter,” MLB insider Joel Sherman said in his podcast with the New York Post Sports. What does this mean? Well, Stroman gave the first two days a miss in the ongoing spring season. He was not satisfied with the Yankees’ plan to keep him in the bullpen. “I won’t pitch in the bullpen,” Stroman said, adding, “I’m a starter.” He reportedly won’t need to pitch in the bullpen anymore. So, with this starting rotation, what’s left for the NY Yankees to take the fight to the Dodgers? 

The Dodgers or Yankees: Who defines the pitching rotation in 2025?

Undoubtedly, the Dodgers are the benchmark when it comes to pitching. The star-studded rotation, along with the equipped bench, is something to follow by others. For reference, the Japanese trio of the Dodgers—Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are projected to have 150+ strikeouts in 2025! A benchmark for the Yankees to achieve. Still, Shohei Ohtani not being in the Dodgers’ starting rotation shows their depth. Contrary to the Dodgers, the NY Yankees already lost Gil and Cole from their rotation. They are now left with Carlos Rodon, Max Fried, Clarke Schmidt, and Stroman. 

Rodon has played 14 games in 2024; Schmidt played 5 games, and Stroman is well ahead among all. Hence, despite the attitude issues or mismatch, Marcus Stroman is the best alternative for the Yankees right now. The spring season also shares the stark contrast between the Dodgers and the NY Yankees. As per ESPN, the Yankees pitchers played 18 games altogether this spring and got 150 strikeouts, while the Dodgers played a total of 20 games and had 196 strikeouts. Yes, the Yankees’ 150 SOs against the Dodgers’ 196 SOs, and fans are eager to see if the inclusion of Stroman makes any difference to the Yankees’ pitching. 

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Spring game figures are too small to evaluate a team, and the Yankees fans can only hope that a better regular season is waiting for them, and there should be no more injury scares to the team. What do you think about Stroman’s selection as a starter? Share your views with us below.