“Yankees’ Pitching Woes: Could Rainout and Rotation Shake-Up Sideline Struggling Stroman?”
After the Yankees’ game against the Angels was called off due to rain on Tuesday afternoon, despite clear skies, Marcus Stroman briefly stopped by his locker before hurrying out with his glove in hand, saying he needed to get in a bullpen session before the rain hit.
While Stroman was throwing in the bullpen, pitching coach Matt Blake was on the field overseeing rehabbing pitcher Clarke Schmidt during a live batting practice. Schmidt, who has been sidelined for three months with a lat strain, is expected to return to the rotation by the end of the month, which is much-needed as the Yankees’ starters have been inconsistent lately.
Stroman’s bullpen session was crucial enough that manager Aaron Boone was present to watch. Stroman has been struggling, most recently giving up seven runs in 2.2 innings against Toronto, and has a 6.32 ERA over his last 10 starts, with only five of those outings lasting five innings or more.
Given Stroman’s recent difficulties, Tuesday’s rainout might lead to him being skipped in the rotation.
Initially, the Yankees had Luis Gil, Nestor Cortes, and Stroman lined up to start the three-game series against the Angels. However, with the rainout, a doubleheader was scheduled, with Gil starting the first game and rookie Will Warren called up from Triple-A to start the second.
Warren, who impressed in his Major League debut against the Phillies last week, was brought back as the 27th-man for the doubleheader. Boone suggested that the Yankees might use this as an opportunity to skip a starter later in the week to give Stroman, Cortes, and ace Gerrit Cole an extra day of rest.
If the other starters remain healthy, Stroman could be the one to sit out. The Yankees might want Stroman to take some time to work on his mechanics or a specific pitch to regain his previous success. Earlier in the season, he was performing well with a 5-2 record and a 2.60 ERA in his first 12 starts, making a strong case for an All-Star selection.