The New York Yankees made an exciting move when they agreed to a two-year, $37 million deal with Marcus Stroman.
He's been an elite pitcher since he made his debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014, something the Yankees were familiar with, having faced him 17 times in division.
The two-time All-Star got his first taste of playing in New York when he was traded to the New York Mets during the 2019 season. However, he decided to depart for another big city when he signed a two-year, $71 million contract with the Chicago Cubs in 2021.
Stroman pitched his way into being considered a National League Cy Young frontrunner early on in 2023 before picking up injuries and struggling down the back stretch after missing some time.
The Yankees were more than willing to bank on the upside of a pitcher with a career ERA of 3.65 and ERA+ of 116 over the course of 231 appearances and 223 starts.
Stroman's former high school coach in Medford, New York, Tony Frascogna, thinks they landed a gem this offseason.
"He wants to be the best when the most people are watching," he told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.
That will certainly be the case when the 33-year-old takes the mound for New York this year. There is going to be massive pressure on this team who acquired Juan Soto earlier in the winter and are aiming to put the disastrous 2023 season behind them.
The Yankees are expecting Stroman to be a major part of that.
Besides Gerrit Cole, who won the AL Cy Young award, the starting rotation left much to be desired and he should help fix those issues.
Consistency has plagued the right-hander throughout his career. He shows elite stuff and goes on hot stretches, but also struggles for periods of time.
With players sometimes struggling with the expectations that comes with playing in New York, his former coach isn't worried about that saying the star pitcher can take negatives and turn them into a positive, something that is certainly needed when playing in this city.
Which version of Stroman the Yankees are getting will be seen, but if he is the top-of-the-rotation guy he's been for the majority of his career, this will be a steal of a signing.
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