Best Trade Fits for Yankees Starter Marcus Stroman
10-year veteran Marcus Stroman has found himself squarely on the trade block. Where could the Yankees trade him that'd make the most sense?

When a player dons the New York Yankees uniform, they’re automatically put under a microscope and forced to perform under extreme pressure. Suiting up for a club that’s won more championships than any other comes with a territory.
Over the years, a handful of stars have found that out the hard way.
Sonny Gray and Joey Gallo are two of the more recent examples of players that excelled in their pre-Yankees days, but their tenures in the Bronx were marred by underperformance. Fortunately, Gray has bounced back to his usual self, but Gallo’s career will likely never be the same.
In 2024, Marcus Stroman made 29 starts for the fifth time in his 10-year career and was available to take the mound for the Yankees whenever he was needed, and in whatever role they asked of him. However, his end-of-season numbers left quite a bit to be desired, and suddenly he’s not a lock to even be on the roster by the time Opening Day rolls around.
Across 154.2 innings of work, the two-time All-Star went 10-9 with a 4.31 ERA (his highest since 2018) and 4.62 FIP (worst of his career), to go along with a 95 ERA+ that puts his overall production at 5% below league-average on the year. Naturally, this has led fans of the Yankees – and even the Yankees themselves – to be ready for him to move on.
So Stroman finds himself squarely on the trade block.
Let’s take a look around the league and find the best trade fits for Stroman. He’s purely a rental (well, sorta…) and has a lengthy track record of durability and above-average showings on the mound, so there’s still some value left in the tank for sure.
Ideal Trade Landing Spots
There are two statistical nuggets that stand out the most about Stroman’s 2024 season: first, he had a 3.51 ERA in 19 first-half starts. Sure, the wheels off in the second half (5.98 ERA, demotion to the bullpen/being left off the postseason roster), but there’s some hope there if you squint hard enough.
Second, the right-hander performed much better away from Yankee Stadium. In 13 starts (and a relief outing) he went 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA. The 5.31 mark he put up in 16 home starts told a very different story, though.
Still, Stroman finished eighth in baseball in GB% (min. 150 IP) and was available to make nearly all of his scheduled outings. Any team who’s confident in their infield defense could use him, since the groundball rate clearly indicates that the infielders will be kept busy.
Athletics
After their signing of Jose LeClerc, the A’s have basically got their payroll to where it needs to be in the 2025 campaign. However, they have a need in their starting rotation, and adding Stroman would help them in more than one way.
Stroman’s contract to their books would guarantee that the A’s get to where they need to be so they can avoid that grievance from the MLBPA. He also gives the club another veteran starter to go alongside Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs. At this point, the A’s need a player who will be able to make 30+ starts a year while at the very least keeping his club in the ballgame.
Stroman feels like a player who can do both of those things. The fact that his 2026 player option vests if he hits 140 innings in the coming season makes it so the A’s would be stuck with him through thick and thin for a second year, but this feels like it’d be a risk worth taking.
San Diego Padres
A swap involving Luis Arraez and Stroman makes a lot of sense for both clubs. In this deal, the Padres would need to receive a bit of cash from the Yankees alongside Stroman to make absorbing his contract worth it for them. As of right now, they’re over the luxury-tax threshold for 2025, so they’re looking to go cheaper.
Arraez has a unique skillset that could fit on the Yankees if he was utilized properly. But the best fit here would be Stroman in the Padres’ starting rotation, as they have an extremely obvious need for one or even two more starters.
At this point, Randy Vasquez and Matt Waldron are projected to be San Diego’s No. 4 and No. 5 starters on the club’s Opening Day roster. Stroman feels like a safer bet than either of them, as you know precisely what you’re getting from him at this point in time.
With Joe Musgrove set to miss the entire upcoming season, the Padres will be without one of their top pitching weapons. Stroman won’t be enough to fully replace his production, but it’s a solid step in the right direction.
Detroit Tigers
The industry has been waiting (and waiting…and waiting…) for the Tigers to make a big splash basically all offseason long. Instead, they’ve signed 37-year-old Alex Cobb and took a single-year flier Gleyber Torres. There’s been no Pete Alonso signing, no Alex Bregman, no big-ticket relief pitchers, nothing in that vein.
To be clear, adding Stroman via trade would not be the equivalent of signing a big name free agent, but it’d still be worth exploring. Tarik Skubal is as steady as they come atop their rotation, but there’s a fair bit of uncertainty in the rest of the rotation. Stroman will make all of his scheduled starts and brings some playoff experience to the table, too.
For a Tigers team that’s in their latest contention window, they need all the help they can get. Stroman’s ace days are in the rearview mirror, but he’s just the type of lottery-ticket move the Tigers should be making in an otherwise underwhelming offseason.
Perhaps a swap involving Stroman and fellow expensive veteran Kenta Maeda could work out for both sides.