The New York Yankees announced that they have signed two-time All-Star RHP Marcus Stroman to a two-year Major League contract extending through the 2025 season with a conditional player option for the 2026 season.
Stroman, 32, went 10-9 with a 3.95 ERA (136.2IP, 120H, 68R/60ER, 52BB, 119K, 1CG/1SHO, 9HR) in 27 games (25 starts) with the Chicago Cubs in 2023. In the first half of the season, he went 9-6 with one shutout and a 2.96 ERA (112.2IP, 84H, 41R/37ER, 41BB, 98K, 6HR), earning his second career All-Star Game selection (did not pitch). Among Major League pitchers in 2023 with at least 100.0 innings pitched, Stroman ranked second in groundball percentage (58.4) and home runs allowed per 9.0 innings (0.59), eighth in opponents’ slugging percentage (.335) and 12th in opponents’ OPS (.640).
A two-time All-Star (2019 with Toronto and 2023 with Chicago-NL) and a Gold Glove Award winner (2017), Stroman has gone 77-76 with four complete games (two shutouts) and a 3.65 ERA (1,303.2IP, 1,257H, 591R/529ER, 376BB, 1,091K, 120HR) in 231 career games (223 starts) over parts of nine seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays (2014-19), New York Mets (2019, ’21) and Chicago Cubs (2022-23). Stroman elected to sit out the 2020 shortened season. Additionally, he was named the 2017 World Baseball Classic Most Valuable Player after going 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA (15.1IP, 12H, 4ER, 2BB, 9K, 0HR) in three starts for the United States. He also represented Puerto Rico at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Since making his Major League debut in 2014, Stroman ranks second in the Majors in groundball percentage (57.5) and fourth in home runs allowed per 9.0 innings (0.83). Additionally, he is only one of 11 pitchers to make 25-or-more starts in at least six of the last seven non-shortened seasons since 2016. His 1,146.0 innings since the start of the 2016 campaign are also the 12th-most among Major League pitchers.
The Medford, N.Y., native graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in 2010, where he was a four-year letter winner. He went 9-1 with a 0.25 ERA and 120 strikeouts in his senior season, earning him First-Team All-State and Third-Team All-American honors. Stroman was also named the New York Gatorade “Player of the Year,” Louisville Slugger’s “Player of the Year” for New York, and won the Paul Gibson Award, which honors the top pitcher on Long Island. During the COVID-19 shutdown, Stroman’s HDMH Foundation supported the Food Bank For New York City and Long Island Cares, providing hunger assistance in both Nassau and Suffolk County.
Originally selected by the Washington Nationals in the 18th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, Stroman did not sign and played at Duke University for three seasons (2010-12). The Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the first round (22nd overall) in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, becoming Duke’s first-ever first-round selection. He was acquired by the New York Mets from Toronto on July 28, 2019, in exchange for LHP Anthony Kay and RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson. On Dec. 1, 2021, Stroman signed with the Chicago Cubs, inking a three-year Major League contract extending through 2024 with a player opt-out following the 2023 season. He exercised that option on Nov. 5, 2023.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated OF Oscar Gonzalez for assignment.