NEW YORK — Marcus Stroman is heading back to New York and moving into the Yankees’ rotation.
The right-hander and the Yankees are in agreement on a two-year contract, according to a Yankees official with direct knowledge of the contract. The official spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet official.
Outbid for prized Japanese starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees — with plenty of uncertainty in their rotation following ace Gerrit Cole — were in need of an established starter.
Stroman, who met with Yankees GM Brian Cashman earlier this week in Tampa, is guaranteed $37 million for two years. His deal can become a three-year, $55 million deal if an innings threshold (140) is reached in 2025.
After losing out on Yamamoto, balking at the asking price for two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, and unwilling to part with another prospect-rich trade package for Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease, the Yankees’ interests turned to Stroman, a Long Island native.
HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.
This was a departure from the organization’s previous stance, voiced by Cashman following the 2019 MLB trade deadline, after deeming the Toronto Blue Jays’ asking price (they wanted Clint Frazier) too steep for Stroman.
“We were interested in Stroman but we didn’t think he would be a difference-maker,’’ Cashman told Yahoo Sports’ Wallace Matthews in September 2019. “We felt he would be in our bullpen in the postseason.’’
Stroman, who instead was traded to the Mets that summer, followed up with a Twitter post, comparing his superior pitching stats against the Yankees’ starters.
But with Stroman searching for a job and the Yankees looking for at least one more established starter, a mutual need brought both parties together; Stroman is said to have scrubbed his social media of any past postings critical of the Yankees. He confirmed his pending signing with several Instagram Story posts.
Stroman retained Brodie Van Wagenen as his agent, who, as Mets GM, traded for Stroman in 2019.
Following the 2023 season, Stroman opted out of the final year of his Chicago Cubs contract, at $21 million, to test free agency.
Last season at Wrigley Field, the 5-foot-7, 180-pound Stroman posted a 9-4 record and 2.28 ERA in his first 16 starts, but a ribcage cartilage injury limited him to nine more starts.
Stroman, who turns 33 on May 1, finished the year at 10-9 with a 3.95 ERA, striking out 119 batters in 136.2 innings and posting a 1.259 WHIP.
Stroman’s price point was considerably less than agent Scott Boras’ lefty clients tied to some degree of Yankees’ interest, Snell and Jordan Montgomery.
As the Yankees continue to search for bullpen and rotation help, they’ve had interest in free agent right-hander Yariel Rodriguez, the intriguing Cuban pitcher who sat out the 2023 season and has been showcased for various MLB clubs.
Given the Yankees’ recent pattern on building bullpens, signing free agent lefty closer Josh Hader to an expensive long-term contract would be a departure from strategy, though a short-term deal might be appealing.
The Yankees have also been linked to interest in hard-throwing reliever Jordan Hicks, who remains in free agency.
