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A rough year just got worse for Marcus Stroman. The New York Yankees are placing the two-time All-Star pitcher on the 15-day injured list with left knee inflammation, per the team. They are calling up fellow right-hander Allan Winans in his absence.
Stroman exited Friday's 9-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants with knee discomfort after allowing five runs on four hits and walking three batters in less than an inning of work. Although this latest injury news is obviously unfortunate, it could at least explain why he was struggling so much on the mound in his last start. But it does not elucidate his previous two lackluster outings. Hopefully, the 33-year-old can use this time away to get fully healthy and figure out how to reclaim his past form.
The Yankees continue to watch their starting rotation get ravaged by injuries. Gerrit Cole is out for the entire season and then some after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March, Luis Gil is in the midst of a lengthy IL stint himself (high-grade lat strain) and Clarke Schmidt will not make his season debut until probably next week. Manager Aaron Boone's job is becoming far more challenging than most anticipated before spring training.
Pitching injuries are rampant in the modern game, but New York has suffered a preposterous amount of afflictions in the early portion of 2025. The initial expectation for this ballclub was the same as it has been for much of the 21st Century– World Series or bust– but these series of setbacks have forced fans to shift into survival mode.
Will the Yankees survive their pitching injuries?
The reigning American League champions still possess enough offensive firepower to rack up wins, and Max Fried is looking like the high-end ace Hal Steinbrenner paid $218 million for in the offseason. Furthermore, the rest of the division is rife with uncertainty. A thin rotation can have enormously negative ramifications on a team in the long run, however.
When a team is forced to employ a next-man-up philosophy in its pitching staff, a bigger burden will inevitably fall on the bullpen. A burnt-out relief unit can then make for a turbulent October experience. Jumping so far ahead admittedly feels silly in April, but again, the Yankees are perpetually eyeing postseason excellence.
It may seem unlikely at this current moment, but a healthy Marcus Stroman could potentially help them uphold that standard in 2025.
