MIAMI โ The New York Yankees made headlines on Friday by releasing veteran pitcher Marcus Stroman, following a series of trades at Major League Baseballโs trade deadline. The departure of Stroman was announced a day after the Yankees shook up their roster by acquiring All-Star relievers David Bednar and Camilo Doval, as well as utility player Josรฉ Caballero. To make room for these new additions, the team sent right-handers Ian Hamilton and Yerry de los Santos to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Friday proved to be a challenging debut for the Yankeesโ newcomers during their 13-12 defeat against the Miami Marlins, as the team squandered multiple large leads. Bednar struggled, conceding four hits and two earned runs, including a homer, over 1 2/3 innings. Doval was charged with the loss after failing to secure a ninth-inning save. The Marlinsโ Kyle Stowers launched a grand slam off reliever Jake Bird, who joined from Colorado, while Caballero committed a costly error in right field that allowed Miami to tie the game.
Reflecting on the performance, Bednar remarked, โItโs part of being a reliever. Sometimes stuff like that happens. Itโs all about how you respond and how youโre able to bounce back.โ Doval shared his perspective, saying, โThings did not come out like I wanted. That is something you canโt control.โ
Stroman, now in his eleventh big-league season, was released just before the Yankees began a three-game series with the Marlins. He is due approximately $5.7 million. Yankee manager Aaron Boone addressed the difficult decision, stating, โObviously, that was tough today,โ while also highlighting Stromanโs competitive nature. Boone added that Stroman handled the release professionally and expressed a desire to maintain a lifelong friendship with him.
Stroman originally signed a two-year contract worth $37 million with the Yankees before last season, with an $18 million salary due this year, of which he is owed $5,709,677. The contract included options for future seasons contingent on innings pitched, a benchmark Stroman is unlikely to hit this year after missing significant time due to knee inflammation. Despite these setbacks, Stroman demonstrated his capability in his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays, securing a win after giving up four runs over five innings. Currently, he holds a 3-2 record with a 6.23 ERA.