Marcus Stroman Reportedly Took Less Money to Sign With Yankees Over Angels, Others

Stroman did not want to be a Halo at the end of the day.

The 2023-24 offseason has not been as eventful as many fans of the Los Angeles Angels had hoped. They lost arguably the best player of all time in Shohei Ohtani, and haven't been able to sign many of the players that were reportedly on their wish list.

One of those players was two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman. Stroman was among the top pitchers in this year's free-agent class. The Angels expressed interest in him, but in the end, Stroman chose the New York Yankees over the Halos, and reportedly for less money.

According to NJ Advance Media's Bob Klapisch, Stroman passed on more money from the Halos to sign with the Yankees. 

"A Long Island native, familiar with New York’s vibe after three seasons with the Mets, Stroman had offers this winter from the Angels and Giants.

"The temptation of pitching in softer divisions, in front of passive fans, must’ve been real. Stroman could’ve coasted. But not only did he say “no thanks” to the California teams, it’s believed he took less money to sign with the Yankees."

(per Bob Klapisch via NJ.com)

Stroman had spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Cubs, where he earned his second All-Star bid. 

At the end of the day, Stroman wanted to be a Yankee and play for his hometown team. According to one member of the organization, he wanted to play with the likes of Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole. 

“That told us Marcus was serious about playing with guys like (Aaron) Judge and (Gerrit) Cole,” said one member of the organization. “That said a lot.”

(via NJ.com)

The Angels may not have had a real shot at Stroman, but it's not too late for them to make a big splash this winter.