NEW YORK — After enduring a 2 1/2-month hiatus due to inflammation in his left knee, Marcus Stroman is poised to return to the mound for the New York Yankees. He is set to be activated for a start on Sunday. The decision came after Stroman successfully completed a side session on Friday, as confirmed by Yankees manager Aaron Boone following their 3-0 victory over the Athletics.
“We wanted to ensure he was good to go, fully confident with his bullpen sessions and everything else,” Boone stated. “It was about checking all the necessary boxes.”
Stroman’s last appearance for the Yankees was on April 11 in a rainy game against the San Francisco Giants, during which he surrendered five runs in only two-thirds of an inning over 46 pitches. The following day, he was placed on the 15-day injured list, and Boone had initially hoped for a brief recovery period.
Complications arose on May 9 when Stroman experienced knee discomfort after a batting practice session in Tampa, Florida. It wasn’t until June 11 that he began a minor league rehabilitation assignment. During his three rehab outings with Double-A Somerset, Stroman recorded a 0-1 record with a 6.97 ERA. His last rehab stint came on Wednesday, leading to an outing of five runs, 10 hits, and two walks over 3 2/3 innings against the Erie Seawolves, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers in the Eastern League.
In light of injuries, particularly with Ryan Yarbrough landing on the injured list due to a strained right oblique, the Yankees had to adapt by starting Allan Winans in Cincinnati on Monday.
Stroman, who celebrated his 34th birthday on May 1, is currently in the second season of his two-year contract with the Yankees, valued at $37 million. The contract has a clause that gives Stroman a $16 million conditional player option for 2026, contingent upon him pitching at least 140 innings this year.
In the previous season, Stroman compiled a 10-9 record with a 4.31 ERA over 29 starts and one relief appearance, accumulating 154 2/3 innings, which was his highest since 2021 with the Mets. Despite his effort, he faced challenges in the later part of the season and did not contribute in the postseason, a significant moment for the Yankees as it was their first World Series appearance since 2009.