Breaking: Marcus Stroman Released

The Yankees added 4 players to the active roster ahead of tonight's game, and to make the last space, Marcus Stroman was released. Thoughts inside.

---

Tweet:

Quick Thoughts:

Last night, the Yankees sent down relievers Yerry de los Santos and Ian Hamilton to Triple-A. This is not indicative of their performance, but is a fact of how a team must be run. De los Santos and Hamilton both have options remaining for this season, and can be safely stored away in Triple-A for the time being.

As I wrote in this morning's game summary, de los Santos was- and is- a great asset to this team. He is a rising bullpen star, and having that depth is a huge benefit to the team. He is also coming off a great performance and cannot be used for a few days. This move only makes sense. He will be back up to the MLB team.

Ian Hamilton, on the other hand, is another solid arm who is in the midst of a third straight declining season. I am hoping he can return to his 2023 performance (58.0 IP, 2.64 ERA, 165 ERA+) after getting some time to reconfigure himself in the minors.

Thus, nobody should be surprised players like Jonathan Loaisiga (who, at times is a stud) was not sent down to Triple-A, because he has no options remaining and otherwise would've needed to be designated for assignment and/or released.

In the case of Marcus Stroman, this move is a bit surprising, given the lack of starting pitching depth that the Yankees currently hold. The rotation as it currently stands sits with Fried-Rodon-Warren-Schlittler. For the 5th rotation spot, Luis Gil is set to make his season debut this weekend (which will require another active roster player to be removed).

However, this still puts the Yankees in a precarious situation, if an injury occurs. With Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt out until next season, the only other option for a starter looks to be Ryan Yarbrough...who is also out injured. (Though, his timetable for return could be finishing up soon.)

Marcus Stroman now has the ability to find another suitor to play for. He will not be the only roster "casualty" from the results of the trade deadline yesterday. (See: Ryan Pressly of the Cubs, who was also released yesterday.)

However, there are still ways the Yankees could pick up veteran starting pitchers through the end of the season. Players like Stroman, Rich Hill, Carlos Carrasco, and others are constantly bouncing between teams that need a "fill-in" starter.

I wish Marcus Stroman was a great Yankee. Unfortunately, he was acquired right as his peak wore off. He was a great player during his prime, and while glimpses were shown, the Yankees never got to experience the player he used to be.

I like flashy players. I liked the energy Marcus Stroman gave to the team. Unfortunately, the performance and statistics didn't work out for him in pinstripes.

I wish Marcus Stroman all the best. I will be surprised if (and when) he gets picked up by another team quickly who needs a starting pitcher for a little bit.

...

On another note,

WOW. The Yankees bullpen is STACKED.

I cannot wait to watch the likes of David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jake Bird showcase their stuff.

And, I'm looking forward to many stolen bases (and defensive plays at shortstop) from Jose Caballero.