Yankees release struggling pitcher Marcus Stroman with Luis Gil returning Sunday

Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News on Aug 1, 2025

Published in Baseball

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Marcus Stroman’s time in the Bronx has come to an end.

The Yankees released the veteran right-hander on Friday, two days before Luis Gil was set to rejoin the rotation.

Stroman is 3-2 with a 6.23 ERA over 39 innings in nine starts this season, the second of a two-year, $37 million contract.

He finishes his Yankee career with a 13-11 record and a 4.69 ERA in 39 appearances, including 38 starts.

The Yankees faced a rotation crunch with the approaching return of Gil, who is set to make his season debut on Sunday in Miami after working his way back from a high-grade lat strain that cropped up during spring training.

After releasing Stroman, the Yankees will move forward with a starting staff of Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Gil and promising rookie right-handers Will Warren and Cam Schlittler.

Stroman’s release on Friday came amid a roster reshuffle in which the Yankees activated trade-deadline acquisitions David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Jake Bird and Jose Caballero.

The Yankees signed Stroman, 34, before the 2024 season. He got off to a hot start last year, going 6-2 with a 2.82 ERA in his first 14 starts, but struggled to a 5.88 ERA during his final 16 appearances.

The Yankees did not include Stroman on last year’s ALDS roster, and he did not appear in a game during the ALCS or World Series.

Stroman appeared to be the odd man of the rotation going into this year’s spring training — during which he was adamant he would not pitch out of the bullpen — but he opened the season in the starting staff after injuries to Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt and Gil.

Stroman missed more than two months this year with knee inflammation. He returned in late June and had pitched at least five innings in five of his six starts since then.

He surrendered four runs in five innings in Thursday’s 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Stroman’s contract carried an $18 million option for 2026 that would vest if he threw at least 140 innings this season, but that total was not within reach.

An 11-year veteran, Stroman has also pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays, Mets and Chicago Cubs.