Yankees Pitcher Addresses First Start Since Injury

Marcus Stroman is making his first start back on the New York Yankees roster after a dismal rehab stint, but he's confident he'll show up when the heat is on.

“It’s definitely a feel and making sure the knee is moving well, the arm and body feel well,” Stroman said, as transcribed by the New York Post's Dan Martin.

“It’s about getting built up. I’m someone that definitely needs the intensity turned up. I’m looking forward to getting back out there.”

Stroman went 0-1 with a 6.97 ERA in his minor league rehab assignment.

The 34-year-old has been on the Injured List since April with knee inflammation, a knee that has stymied him since an ACL tear back in 2015.

This season, the righty has an 11.57 ERA with a 0-1 record in three games as starter. He returns on the heels of Allan Winans, who took a beating last week against the Cincinnati Reds after an otherwise promising season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Winans had been called up to replace Ryan Yarbrough, who was placed on the IL on June 20 with an oblique injury.

The Yankees' other starting pitchers have excelled this season, with Max Fried among the American League favorites to win the Cy Young Award this year, and Clarke Schmidt recently making history with 28 1/3 scoreless innings. Gerritt Cole and Luis Gil are still out on the IL, but the Yankees' real problem is on offense, and they have lost 10 games of their last 15 due to an alarming inability to score.

Fans aren't exactly ecstatic about Stroman's return to the mound, and are bonding over their shared despair on Twitter.