The New York Yankees have announced their roster for the American League Division Series, opting for 11 pitchers. Surprisingly, Marcus Stroman, who started 29 games during the regular season and ranked third in both starts and innings pitched (154.2), was left off the list.
Stroman finished the season with a higher earned-run average of 4.31 compared to his teammates in the regular rotation. For the best-of-five series, the Yankees will rely on Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt as their starting pitchers.
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Adding to the Yankees’ pitcher’s woes, left-hander Nestor Cortes is also sidelined due to an elbow injury and would have been a candidate to start Game 3. Despite Stroman’s experience, there was no space for him on the Yankees’ 26-man roster against the Royals.
Postseason rules allow teams to change their roster after each round.
This season, Stroman, 33, went 10-9 after signing a two-year, $37 million deal with the Yankees. He wrapped up September with a disappointing 10-9 record and a 4.31 ERA after struggling in his final three starts of the regular season.
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As a two-time All-Star, Stroman has experienced postseason play before, making five starts, although none since the 2016 ALCS with the Toronto Blue Jays against the Cleveland Guardians.
The pitching lineup for the Yankees feels familiar, with only Luke Weaver being the new addition not previously part of the organization last year.
Yankees’ main pitching acquisitions in 2024:
Victor Gonzalez, DFA’d
Caleb Ferguson, traded
Marcus Stroman, not on postseason roster
Mark Leiter Jr., not on postseason roster
Enyel De Los Santos, DFA’d
Lou Trivino, out for the year
Luke Weaver: de facto closer https://t.co/57RUout1ig— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) October 5, 2024
Stroman’s recent performance likely factored into his exclusion. In a surprising twist, outfielder Duke Ellis was chosen over the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect, Jasson Dominguez. Ellis, a minor league veteran who was picked up from the Seattle Mariners in August, has switched organizations three times this year and will likely serve as a pinch runner thanks to his impressive base-stealing skills—57 successful steals against just four caught attempts at Double-A and Triple-A.
The Royals will stick with the same roster they used to take down the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card round.
In Game 1 at Yankee Stadium, Cole will be on the mound opposite Royals pitcher Michael Wacha.