The New York Yankees have signed right-hander Marcus Stroman on a two-year, $37 million deal with a vesting option for a third year, according to multiple reports.
According to SNY's Andy Martino, the third-year option vests if Stroman pitches at least 140 innings in 2025.
The contract, which is reportedly pending a physical, came together Thursday after the Yankees declined to meet the asking price for top free-agent starter Blake Snell, deciding to pivot to Stroman instead, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
With a career 56.7 per cent groundball rate, Stroman should fit well in Yankee Stadium, joining a starting staff that includes reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes and Clarke Schmidt.
A native of Long Island, Stroman posted photos of him wearing a Yankees hoodie as a child and a current-day jersey swap of him wearing pinstripes on his Instagram story just before the deal was reported.
The former Toronto Blue Jays starter had spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Cubs, but decided to opt out of the final year of the three-year pact he signed before the 2022 season.
Stroman made his second All-Star team in 2023 after posting a 2.96 ERA over 112.2 innings in the first half. Unfortunately, the 32-year-old ran into some injury problems in the second half and was only able to log 24 innings the rest of the year. In all, he finished the year with a 3.95 ERA, 119 strikeouts and 52 walks over 136.2 innings.
A nine-year MLB veteran, Stroman has spent time with the Blue Jays, Cubs and New York Mets.
He has made 231 career appearances, logging 1303.2 innings with a 3.65 ERA and 1091 strikeouts.
Stroman pitched for Toronto in their runs to the ALCS in 2015 and 2016, making five starts and pitching 30.2 innings over the two years. Those are his only two career trips to the post-season.
Formerly a first-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2012, Stroman finished eighth in AL Cy Young voting and won the Gold Glove with Toronto in 2017. He made his first career All-Star appearance in 2019 — before being dealt to the Mets.
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