Yankees' Decision on Veteran Pitcher Hinges on a Bullpen

Stroman gave up 10 hits and five earned runs over just 3.2 innings for Double-A Somerset on Tuesday night, walking two and striking out one. He threw 65 pitches and didn’t make it out of the fourth inning. It was his third rehab start—and easily his worst.

Now, the Yankees are left to decide whether that’s enough to trust him on a major league mound.

 Boone said earlier this week that Stroman would “be in the mix” for the open rotation spot on Sunday. But after Tuesday’s outing, that idea feels more like a hope than a plan.

Stroman has been out with right knee inflammation. His return would come at a time when the Yankees badly need rotation help—Yarbrough is on the IL, Luis Gil is still out, and  Winans didn’t exactly run away with the opportunity on Monday night.

Stroman says he feels healthy. The velocity is there. The pitch count is built up. But the results haven’t followed. He was hit hard early and often on Tuesday, a pattern that’s become all too familiar. Before landing on the IL in April, Stroman had posted an 11.57 ERA in three starts.

The Yankees haven’t announced a starter for Sunday yet. Stroman is scheduled to throw a bullpen session at Yankee Stadium before a final decision is made.

They could plug him back in and hope the results catch up to the reps. But right now, there’s more uncertainty than upside. And with July here, the margin for error is shrinking.