MLB Rumors: Yankees make surprising pivot on Marcus Stroman, per insider

The New York Yankees are a team that is eager to put 2023 behind them. The Bronx Bombers finished with a record of 82-80 and fell short of the postseason for the first time since 2016.

They were quick to address their issues on the offensive side, adding both Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo in trades. Pitching, however, is a different story, and the Yankees need help there, specifically in their starting rotation.

According to Bob Nightengale, the Yankees and right-hander Marcus Stroman have "mutual interest." Nightengale notes that this began during GM meetings back in November.

Yankees reverse course on Stroman

This is an interesting development, and quite the contrary to Nightengale's reporting on Stroman and the Yankees from Sunday. Yesterday, Nightengale had reported that Stroman was interested in pitching for the Yankees and had even reached out to them, but New York declined to make an offer.

It appears that now the Yankees have changed their minds and are now interested in pursuing the veteran right-hander.

Stroman has pitched the past few seasons with the Chicago Cubs. Last season, he went 10-9 in 27 appearances with a 3.95 ERA. The veteran righty made 25 starts and two relief appearances. The two-time All-Star averaged 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

The two-time All-Star and former Gold Glover has also dealt with more than his fair share of injuries over the past few seasons. He landed on the injured list twice in 2023 with hip and rib ailments. Health is obviously a concern if the Yankees do end up signing him.

The 32-year-old right-hander is a New York-area native. He has also previously pitched with the New York Mets.

It's certainly interesting that the Yankees have chosen to reverse course on Stroman and seemingly change their minds. But they are in need of rotation help and it would be wise for them to explore the free agent market.