No Yanks hurler is in my league ... besides Cole, Sevy: Stroman
After the Yankees’ season ended, general manager Brian Cashman said the team’s rotation “was at risk” in the playoffs “and that needs to get improved upon.”
Clearly, Marcus Stroman agrees, as the right-hander took to Twitter on Wednesday to explain why he would fit into the Yankees’ rotation.
In response to a Twitter post saying Stroman would be “the steal of the offseason,” the pending free agent agreed and posited he’d be at least their thirdbest starter in 2021.
“Besides [Gerrit] Cole, there’s no current yankee pitcher who will be anywhere in my league over the next 5-7 years,’’ Stroman wrote. “Their pitching always folds in the end. That lineup and payroll should be winning World Series’ left and right… yet they’re in a drought! Lol.”
When a fan reminded him of Luis Severino’s past success, Stroman agreed: “Forgot about [Severino]! When he’s healthy, he’s unreal. One of my favorites to watch. Cole and Severino. There’s still [three] spots in the staff that need help. Am I wrong?”
He also said the fact James Paxton — another free agent — has never pitched more than 160 innings in a season is “a problem.”
After Cole, the Yankees’ rotation is indeed filled with question marks. Masahiro Tanaka is also set to hit free agency, Severino doesn’t figure to be back until midseason as he recovers from Tommy John surgery and team owner Hal Steinbrenner said he “absolutely had to be comfortable” Domingo German has “turned his life around” after serving a suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence protocols.
The Yankees also will be considering rookies like Deivi Garcia, Michael King and Clarke Schmidt, among others.
So while the Yankees will certainly be looking for arms this offseason, finding a match could be tough.
As The Post’s Joel Sherman has reported, they will probably try to stay under the $210 million luxury tax threshold next season, especially given the impact on finances with the impact of COVID-19.
There’s also the issue of Cashman telling Yahoo Sports in 2019 he didn’t regret not acquiring Stroman at that year’s trade deadline because he didn’t think the right-hander “would be a differencemaker” in The Bronx and “we felt he would be in our bullpen in the postseason.”
In response, Stroman tweeted a graphic of his stat line compared to the Yankees’ rotation.
Whether Cashman’s opinion has changed is unknown, but Stroman said he won’t hold it against the Yankees.
“I’m open to competing wherever, my man,’’ Stroman wrote. “That’s including the Mets and Yankees. I don’t hold grudges ever. I’m open to [competing] wherever next year.”