Scott Clark
Jan 12, 2024 - 05:05

Marcus Stroman signs two-year, $37 million Yankee deal

New York Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman changed his tune about the New York Yankees, signing a $37 million contract with them.

Marcus Stroman, a former pitcher for the New York Mets, has changed his tune after making derogatory comments about the New York Yankees. He has agreed to a two-year, $37 million contract with a vesting option for 2026, pending a physical, according to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY.

Stroman, who was once a first-round draft pick by the Toronto Blue Jays, made his major league debut with the Blue Jays in 2014 before moving to the Mets in 2019. He later signed a three-year, $71 million contract with the Chicago Cubs but opted out of his final year.

Despite hip and rib injuries in 2023, Stroman finished with a respectable 3.95 earned run average. A two-time All-Star, Stroman will compete with Houston second baseman Jose Altuve for the unofficial title of shortest player in the American League, standing at 5'7".

Stroman's contract with the Yankees includes a 2026 option that becomes a player option if he pitches at least 140 innings in 2025, according to Joel Sherman of The New York Post. His career has been marked by several lengthy interruptions, including a torn ACL and opting out of the virus-shortened 2020 season.

Stroman, a native of Medford, NY, played college baseball at Duke University and is expected to bolster a Yankees rotation headed by American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole. The team is also reportedly interested in signing National League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.

The Yankees finished the 2023 season with an 82-80 record, missing the playoffs and trailing 19 games behind first-place Baltimore in the American League East. They are counting on comebacks from pitchers Nester Cortes and Carlos Rodon to improve their performance in the upcoming season.

With Stroman's signing, the Yankees have surpassed the $297 million luxury tax threshold, with a projected $306 million luxury tax payroll. This may change if they sign additional high-salary free agents.

Stroman had been in talks with several clubs, including the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and Boston Red Sox, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The Yankees are set to begin spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Park in Tampa in four weeks.