Stroman fitting in 'seamlessly' with Yankees
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SARASOTA, Fla. -- Marcus Stroman bounded off the mound at the end of the fourth inning on Saturday, applauding into the soft baby blue leather of his glove. This had been a good day at the office for the Yankees right-hander, having shifted his mechanics to enjoy immediate results.
That will be an ongoing theme for Stroman, who always seems to be adjusting something or other out there; on this afternoon, it was moving his hands slightly higher, trying to keep his delivery compact. His four scoreless innings in New York’s 7-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Orioles suggest that it worked, though Stroman says the world is also clicking in ways that won’t appear in any box score.
“I think I’m just comfortable in my own skin as a person. I’m very confident in who I am,” Stroman said. “I’m very confident in the work that I’ve put in my entire life, so I go out to the mound very confident. I don’t think anyone goes out as confident as I do, and it’s just because I know I’m prepared. I know there’s nothing more that I can do away from the field.”
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Saturday’s outing marked the second spring start for Stroman, holding the Orioles to a pair of singles over four sharp innings, striking out three without a walk. Stroman wanted to make adjustments after permitting three runs (two earned) and four hits over 2 1/3 innings in his Bombers spring debut against the Phillies.
“I’m always working on things,” Stroman said. “I watch so much video of myself from the past and other guys. I’m always trying to find ways to be more efficient, be more simple and better. This game is too hard to have so many things going on.”
On that note, Stroman has found a kindred spirit in Yanks ace Gerrit Cole, also a professional tinkerer. Their respective arsenals may differ, but Cole said that he has respected Stroman’s dedication to his craft from afar, calling him “one of the true masters of the sinker that we have in this game.”
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“He's always thinking out there,” Cole said. “He's one of the highest, fiercest competitors that we have in this game. His level of consistency throughout his career speaks for how good of a professional he is and how talented he is. His look is a lot different than a lot of the guys that we have, which I think is important.”
Facing Carlos Rodón, Stroman and Nestor Cortes during a three-game series, for example, could keep opponents off balance. Stroman’s ability to keep the ball on the ground was a selling point this past winter, when the Yanks signed him to a two-year, $37 million contract. Negotiations picked up steam after Stroman and manager Aaron Boone met for dinner near Tampa in January.
“Since the day I met with him before we signed him, I feel like he's in a place he wants to be,” Boone said. “I think he's assimilated into our clubhouse very seamlessly. I think he's comfortable; I think he's happy. I think he's excited to compete on the biggest stages in baseball. On top of it, he's been a really good and consistent pitcher throughout his career, going on a decade now.”
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Stroman, of course, needs no introduction to New York or the American League East. He spent 5 1/2 seasons with the Blue Jays from 2014-19 and not-so-privately hoped to be dealt to the Yankees at the 2019 Trade Deadline, when general manager Brian Cashman found Toronto’s asking price too high and Stroman instead landed with the Mets.
Over his most recent two seasons with the Cubs, Stroman pitched to a 3.73 ERA in 52 games (50 starts), earning selection as a National League All-Star last season before injuries hindered his second-half performance. Stroman believes the Yankees understand who he is and what he can provide.
“Outsiders don’t understand. Guys coming in think, ‘Stroman is this loud, outspoken guy,’” he said. “But [Aaron] Judge has known me for a while. Everyone here is extremely cool. We’ve got a great veteran presence, we’ve got great young guys. We have great personality. Everyone is very different, and everybody is allowed to be themselves.
“Usually the best teams are when you’ve got guys who are authentically themselves personality-wise, when you come together and guys love to compete and win. I’m excited for this roster and to play 162 [games] with this team.”