MLB Rumors: Marcus Stroman shut down by the 1 team he wanted to play for

Marcus Stroman is reportedly interested in playing for the New York Yankees. Unfortunately for Stroman, the Yankees are not interested in him, and it's easy to understand why.

While Stroman is a capable middle-of-the-rotation starter, perhaps even on the high end at his best, he's also shown a disdain for the Yankees over the years. Brian Cashman once suggested that Stroman "wasn't a difference-maker" which clearly irked the former Blue Jays and Cubs ace. To make matters worse, Stroman voiced his frustration on social media in since-deleted tweets.

“Besides [Gerrit] Cole, there’s no current Yankee pitcher who will be anywhere in my league over the next 5-7 years,” Stroman tweeted. “Their pitching always folds in the end. That lineup and payroll should be winning World Series’ left and right…yet they’re in a drought. Lol.”

Stroman then stated that while his family is from Long Island, he'd much rather play for the Mets in 2021.

Why is Marcus Stroman interested in signing with Yankees now?

Stroman sees an opportunity with the Yankees. New York traded for Juan Soto this offseason, but they still need starting pitching. He is (reportedly) willing to let bygones be bygones, per Nightengale:

"Free-agent starter Marcus Stroman has informed the Yankees he’s seriously interested in signing with them, but the Yankees have declined to make an offer," Nightengale wrote.

Yet, any two entities with the kind of history that Stroman and Cashman have are unlikely to join forces, even if it makes sense on paper. There's a better chance Stroman is trying to use the Yankees as leverage.

Stroman struggled at the end of the season after his injury, but through July looked like one of the best pitchers in the NL in a contract year. He opted out of his Cubs contract to test the market in search of another multiyear deal. Given the current state of the starting pitching market, he should get that somewhere. It just won't be in the Bronx.