According to Brian Cashman, speaking Thursday after the Yankees introduced Marcus Stroman via Zoom, the righty was on the Yankees’ radar from the beginning of free agency, but things didn’t ramp up until Yoshinobu Yamamoto made his decision to sign in Los Angeles.
“Everything was on hold until Yamamoto played out, but in the meantime, I was having conversations as early as the GM meetings to be able to pivot if it didn’t play out the way we wanted,” Cashman said. “(Stroman) was always in the conversation with us, and it got real heavy after Yamamoto made his decision.”
So, yeah, those reports about the Yankees-Stroman connection last week before he signed were two months in the making – and putting his name on the dotted line was a career in the making for the Medford native, who will now have his second stint at home.
“I get the chills thinking about my first start in Yankee Stadium,” Stroman said. “Kids worldwide, not just in New York, dream about being in the pinstripes, so it’s hard to put into words. I can’t wait to feel it in the moment. It puts a lot of different emotions to the surface.”
Stroman knows the bright lights of New York, having pitched for the Mets in 2019 and 2021, and thrives under that pressure, something he reiterated several times in his intro presser. But this homecoming, he said, was the right place at the perfect time based on multiple factors – both personal and professional, at least with his repertoire.
“I know what it’s like to play here, and I like pitching in that moment. I live in Tampa so spring training is a 10-minute drive, my brother is at IMG Academy, so it couldn’t be a better fit at this point,” Stroman said. “I feel like my sinker is one of the most elite in the league when I throw it to my best ability, and I know (the infielders) will have no problem getting to balls. I feel like my best sinker against the best swing, I can keep it on the ground or limit damage, so I’m very confident.”
Stroman is healthy and already a few bullpens into his spring ramp-up routine, ready to put the injury-aided struggles of the second half behind him – and with his ‘beef’ with Brian Cashman also in the past, he’s ready for Yankees fans to embrace and get to know him.
“I just want people to understand the real me. When people get to know me, they get to know the human being I am deep down. I’m pretty sure the Yankees did their research, and wouldn’t want this partnership if they didn’t know about my character as a human being,” Stroman said. “New York fans are the most passionate in the world, and I understand that playing here is about your performance. I feel like the pressure brings out the best of me, so I’m excited to feel the energy of the crowd – like I said, I’m already getting chills looking forward to it.”
And no, that Yankees hat he was rocking at MSG not long ago wasn’t an accident.
“I was in the city for a few days for my physical, so I swung by the store and got a hat,” he laughed. “I wore a lot of Yankees hats in my rotation as a kid, but playing on different teams, you can’t don those in the offseason. I’m big into fashion and the Yankees hat is a fashion icon in itself, so I’m excited to have it back in the rotation now.”
