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Yankees’ Marcus Stroman gives Juan Soto his flowers

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Benedetto Vitale | Last updated Jul 4, 2025 8:16 PM ET

The New York Yankees lost a tough one to the New York Mets on Friday, failing to earn the win on July 4th in a 6-5 loss. Marcus Stroman was on the mound, finishing the game with four strikeouts through 5.0 innings pitched and allowing seven hits, a walk, and three earned runs.

After the loss, the Yankees pitcher went out of his way to praise Mets’ slugger Juan Soto, who had a monster game during the Holiday. During the postgame interview, Marcus Stroman explained what he saw from Soto in Friday’s contest.

“He’s one of the best for a reason; he’s extremely locked in right now. He’s just an incredibly hard AB.”

"He's one of the best for a reason, he's extremely locked in right now. He's just an incredibly hard AB"

Marcus Stroman on Juan Soto: pic.twitter.com/6eN4YjXQOy

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 4, 2025

Soto finished the game with three hits, one home run, and two RBIs while running in two scores himself. He was one of the main reasons why the Mets got the better of the Yankees, as the 26-year-old outfielder looked to be in prime form on the 4th of July.

Marcus Stroman returns to action after missing two months due to a knee injury. When on the mound, it’s been a bit rough for the 34-year-old pitcher this season. Entering Friday’s game, Stroman owned an 8.16 ERA and 1.674 WHIP while recording eight strikeouts through 14.1 innings pitched. His performance against the Mets likely won’t help his stats much.

Luckily, there is still plenty of time for Stroman to turn things around. New York is in second place in the AL East, with only the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of them. It’s an incredibly close race in the division, as the Tampa Bay Rays are tied with the Yankees. Ideally, the club finds a way to get back in the win column, as Friday’s game was the fifth straight loss.

Marcus Stroman will likely take the mound again against the Seattle Mariners. That will be a tough game as well, as Cal Raleigh is leading the league in home runs.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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