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In a move that caught many around the league off guard, the New York Yankees released veteran right-hander Marcus Stroman on Friday, officially ending his tenure with the team midway through the second year of a two-year, $37 million contract. The decision came just one day after the Yankees restructured their bullpen at the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline, acquiring Camilo Doval, David Bednar, Jake Bird, and Jose Caballero.
Stroman, 34, was designated for assignment to make room on the roster as several injured arms, Luis Gil, Fernando Cruz, Mark Leiter Jr., and Ryan Yarbrough, near returns from the injured list. The Yankees, now prioritizing younger talent such as rookie Cam Schlittler, opted to cut ties with the former All-Star despite $5.61 million still owed on his contract. That amount will remain on the books unless another club signs him, in which case the Yankees will be responsible for the remainder minus the prorated league minimum.
Manager Aaron Boone addressed the move in a heartfelt message, commending Stroman’s character and competitive spirit, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.
“The perception around Stro, for us, did not meet the guy we got to be around for the last couple years,” Aaron Boone said. “He’s an awesome competitor. … I feel like he’s a guy I’ll stay in touch with for the rest of our lives.”
Marcus Stroman had struggled early in the 2025 campaign, missing nearly two months due to a knee injury suffered in mid-April. Before landing on the IL, he gave up 12 runs in just 9 1/3 innings. Since returning, his performance has slightly stabilized, logging 29 2/3 innings with a 4.55 ERA, a 14.8% strikeout rate, a 7% walk rate, and a 48% groundball rate. However, those numbers fell short of expectations for a pitcher in a contending rotation.
Stroman joined the Yankees in January 2024 following a two-year stint with the Chicago Cubs. In his first season in New York, he went 10–9 with a 4.31 ERA across 30 appearances. A former first-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012, Stroman has also pitched for the Mets and was named MVP of the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Over his career from 2014 to 2023, he posted a 3.65 ERA across more than 1,300 innings.
