Rift behind him, Stroman says he’s exactly where he wants to be, ready for pressure of Bronx

Marcus Stroman wants to be here.

If the premature confirmations of his signing, pinstriped photoshops and impassioned messages on social media didn’t make that clear, the new Yankee’s introductory Zoom call certainly did on Thursday. Stroman, speaking to reporters for the first time as a friend of the team – rather than an outspoken foe — left no uncertainty: the Medford, Long Island native believes he’s ready for what’s to come.

“I’m not someone who shies away from the limelight or pressure,” said Stroman, who previously enjoyed a successful stint with the Mets. “I think a lot of guys would avoid coming to New York and playing for the Yankees because of that reason. I’m someone who feels like it brings out the best in me. So I’m looking forward to this opportunity.

“I’m excited to go out there and compete in the Bronx and perform in the Bronx. I think it’s the hardest thing to do. I’m someone who’s always wanted a challenge and someone who’s always up for a challenge. So I think it’s just a match made in heaven.”

For those on the outside looking in, this union may feel more like a match made via vivid imagination. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that Stroman and the Yankees had beef.

That began in 2019, when Brian Cashman said the right-hander was not a “difference-maker” while adding that Stroman would likely end up in the Yankees’ bullpen that postseason. The general manager had tried to acquire Stroman from the Blue Jays that summer, but Cashman refused to pay a “ransom” and Stroman was shipped to Queens.

Stroman became a regular critic of Cashman and the Yankees in the months and years that followed, as he had the numbers to dispute the executive’s assessment.

On Thursday, Cashman rehashed the feud on his own Zoom call. He said that the 2019 quote didn’t come off as intended and that he apologized through Stroman’s agent at the time. He never got ahold of Stroman directly, though he said he tried.

This past November, Cashman made it clear to Stroman’s current agent, former Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen, that he still wanted to apologize directly. Van Wagenen said Stroman had no issues, but Cashman kept insisting as negotiations progressed on a deal that will pay the 32-year-old at least $37 million over two years.

Cashman got his wish, but Stroman viewed the mea culpa as unnecessary.

“It was an important box for me to check regardless because he didn’t deserve how that was playing out in the press back then and because it certainly wasn’t how I was intending it to play out,” Cashman said. “But it was my bad.”

Stroman said that he and Cashman “laughed about it and moved on” during a quick phone call prior to signing. He also said that Cashman shared the pitcher’s belief in his ability to handle his hometown market.

“There is a population of major league talent that does not want to play in the New York arena,” Cashman said. “It’s too hot. It’s too difficult. It’s too much.

“But that is not this player. This player wanted to be here.”

Stroman, who still has family in the area and now lives close to the Yankees’ spring training complex in Tampa, added that Aaron Boone visited him during the Yankees’ recruitment process. Stroman also connected with Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Anthony Volpe and Anthony Rizzo.

Stroman has been a lightning rod for attention throughout his career. Some of that has been unfair and steeped in racism, as Stroman is Black. Other times, he has brought scrutiny on himself, often on social media.

Asked if he had any character concerns after vetting Stroman, Cashman brushed such worries aside.

“I’d say I’m misunderstood, for sure,” Stroman said. “That’s another reason why I’m excited to be a Yankee. I think people will have a different view of me after my tenure here. I don’t think Cash, Boonie, Judge would want me to be a part if they didn’t know my character and how I was as a teammate.

“I just feel like when people understand the real me and get around me and really get to know me, they understand the human being that I am deep down.”

Cashman said that the Yankees first connected with Stroman’s camp during the GM Meetings in November, but their pursuit didn’t heat up until after Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers. Stroman, who has a 3.65 ERA over nine seasons, found himself immediately receptive to the idea of joining his former adversary after two solid but injury-impeded seasons with the Cubs.

Now Stroman is getting “chills” thinking about his first start at Yankee Stadium and the fact that his family and friends will be able to attend games regularly. He’s pitched poorly there in the past, but that was when he was facing the Bombers and Judge, who has done considerable damage against him.

“I think kids not even only from New York — I think kids worldwide growing up — just dream about being in pinstripes or playing for the Yankees,” Stroman said. “So it’s hard to put into words. It’s something that I can’t wait to feel, to be honest with you, in the moment.”

But as Cashman mentioned, not every player is made for New York. Recent examples include Joey Gallo and Sonny Gray, but the list is lengthier than that.

Stroman, however, believes that he can be better than ever in his backyard.

“I do think the best is still in me,” he said. “Sometimes, when you have those moments in that city and that buzz and that energy and that pressure, it brings out a different animal, so I’m excited for that possibility.

“I’m not someone who can kind of coast through life. I’m someone who accepts any challenge. That’s how I was raised from my father, from my mother. That’s how I was built, and that’s how I’ll continue to walk through life.”