Yankees Emerge as 'Top Candidate' To Sign All-Star Pitcher
After initial reports indicated that the New York Yankees weren't interested in Marcus Stroman, new reports suggest that the front office has become more open to the idea of signing him.
The 32-year-old Stroman is a two-time All-Star and has been an above-average starting pitcher for nearly a decade now. With the Yankees having questions about their rotation, it's a good idea to pursue an arm who's done what he's done in the past.
There's certainly a history between the two, but similar to the Josh Donaldson situation, New York must put this behind them.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Yankees have now emerged as the top candidate to sign Stroman and have had productive talks in recent days. The right-hander reportedly told the front office that he was interested in pitching in the Bronx and after they missed out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Stroman is one of the better remaining free agent options.
In the 2023 season, the righty posted a 3.95 ERA and 3.58 FIP. His numbers slipped after the All-Star break due to injuries, but he was well on his way to having arguably the best season in his career if he didn't get hurt.
If he finished how he started his 2023 season, the talks surrounding Stroman would be much different.
With Juan Soto added to the lineup, the Yankees have to capitalize on this window to chase a championship while they have the opportunity and show the superstar slugger they are serious contenders for years to come.
While Stroman might not be the reason Soto signs or not, it's never a bad thing to show pending free agents that you're willing to spend.
