Stroman in Yankees' bullpen at least through next turn

NEW YORK -- Marcus Stroman is the new odd man out in the Yankees' rotation, as manager Aaron Boone said the veteran right-hander will be available out of the bullpen beginning Sunday.

Stroman’s move to a relief role follows Nestor Cortes’ solid outing in Thursday’s 2-1, 10-inning victory over the Red Sox, with Boone saying that Cortes would remain in a starting role for the club’s next turn.

Boone said that he believes Stroman took the news well.

“Stro has been so good for us and so good in the room,” Boone said. “He’s all about that team in there and all about the guys in there. Basically, his message to me is, ‘Whatever you need, and I’ll be ready to go.’ I think he just wants to be part of a winner.”

Boone indicated that the Yankees might keep a five-man rotation for the turn after their next one, though he said it has not been decided if they would keep Stroman in relief or plug another starter into a bullpen role.

“We’ll see,” Boone said. “I’ll try and put [Stroman] in the best position and make sure we communicate well with him. He and I spoke yesterday about it. Nothing is necessarily permanent, but with the off-day coming [on Monday], I want to have us go five at least this next turn and maybe the next time around, too.”

Stroman is in his first season as a Yankee, having signed a two-year, $37 million deal in January that included a vesting option for 2026.

Stroman has had a rough September, permitting eight runs and 16 hits in nine innings (8.00 ERA) over two starts. He has also struggled since the All-Star break, faring 3-4 with a 5.40 ERA in nine starts compared to a 7-4 record and 3.51 ERA in 19 starts before the break.

“He’s one of the reasons we’re here,” Boone said. “He’s gone to the post for us, taking all his starts. He’s won a lot of ballgames for us. I think one of the reasons we have a chance to get to the postseason is some of the consistency of our starting pitching.

“On balance, he’s done a really good job for us, and as I’ve told him, [he is] one of the reasons we’re in this position now. I feel like all of our starters have done a good job of giving us a chance to win a lot of ballgames. It starts with them, and he’s been in the middle of all that.”

The Yankees are considering their options for a potential postseason rotation. Gerrit Cole would be the likely Game 1 starter, with Stroman, Cortes, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt all possibilities to be slotted in behind the ace.

“We’ll keep evaluating moving forward,” Boone said.