The New York Yankees have created an awkward situation by failing to trade Marcus Stroman before spring training while openly shopping him in the winter. They could send him to the suddenly needy New York Mets.
Stroman is expected to start for the Yankees in their spring training opener. The Mets could be watching closely as they are suddenly in need of a starting pitcher. The Mets signed Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million deal in the offseason. However, he is being shut down for an extended period of time to recover from an injury, according to Newsday’s Tim Healey.
“Frankie Montas has a high-grade right lat strain, Carlos Mendoza said,” Healey wrote on X. “He won’t throw for 6-8 weeks. He’s going to New York for a PRP injection now.”
With Montas slated to miss opening day and more, Newsweek’s Drew VonScio proposed this trade that sends Stroman back to his former team:
- Yankees receive: right-handed pitcher Nolan McLean and catcher Yovanny Rodriguez
- Mets receive: right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman
“The Mets would get Stroman to fill out their rotation once again,” wrote VonScio. “He recorded a 4.31 ERA in 30 appearances (29 starts) last season for the Yankees. Stroman would get a fresh start and get a chance to pitch in a rotation as he’s made it clear he doesn’t want to be a reliever. Stroman is set to make $18.33 million in 2025 and could make the same in 2026 if he reaches 140 innings or more this coming season.”
Stroman had a 3.21 ERA in 44 starts with the Mets over the course of two seasons. He is a two-time All-Star and a fresh start could be all he needs.
“As for the Yankees, they would acquire Nolan McLean, who worked his way up to Double-A Binghamton last season,” wrote VonScio. “He recorded a 4.19 ERA in 18 starts for the Rumble Ponies, but he was drafted with a 70-grade slider. Yovanny Rodriguez is just 18 years old and spent all of 2024 playing rookie ball.”
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