When the bats go silent, the blame finds a new address—it usually has a locker. In the Bronx, where patience is shorter than a mid-July rain delay, Marcus Stroman now wears the target. The Yankees aren’t just asking him to pitch—they’re asking him to rescue morale, bandage a bleeding rotation, and silence a stadium that boos before it breathes. No pressure, right?
The Yankees fans are inches from losing their minds if anything goes wrong in Sunday’s game. First, the fans didn’t want Stroman on the mound because of the horror show season he has had, and now the added pressure of your manager backing him through it. Now, for Stroman, it is not only proving the fans wrong, but also proving the manager right.
In his recent interview, manager Aaron Boone discussed opting for Stroman for Sunday’s game and his thoughts on the pitcher. He said, “Yeah, he’s not all the way built up, but he should have quite a few pitches under his belt and hopefully he gets to use them all and he gets us off to a good start today.” Stroman hasn’t exactly won over the Bronx faithful. Critics say he talks bigger than he delivers. A string of short outings and shaky command has frayed fan patience. In a city that demands dominance, “good enough” just doesn’t cut it anymore.
“Hopefully he gets us off to a good start today”
Aaron Boone on what he expects to see from Marcus Stroman in his return to the Yankees’ rotation today: pic.twitter.com/JwSFliIxOJ
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 29, 2025
Stroman’s 2025 season hasn’t lived up to expectations—far from it. He’s carrying an 11.57 ERA with opponents batting .278 against him, both career worsts. But Boone still believes in his guy—and there’s reason for that faith. Stroman posted a 3.95 ERA in 2023 and a 3.50 ERA in 2022, and against the Athletics, he has an ERA of 3.78 in 8 games. He’s a proven ground-ball artist who eats innings when healthy. Boone’s trust isn’t blind; it’s built on past reliability and playoff pedigree.
With the Yankees’ offense sputtering, the rotation must carry the weight. Another loss would deepen their slide and dent morale. They have dropped the last 5 games out of the 10 and are hitting at .197. Two weeks ago, the Yankees had a 4.5 game lead and were strong favorites to make the postseason, but since then, that number has dropped to 0.5. A strong game by Stroman will not only restore the lead to 1.5 games but it will also instill some confidence in the team. In this stretch, pitching isn’t just important—it’s survival, and maybe the standings too.
Stroman isn’t just pitching today—he’s pitching against perception, panic, and the Bronx’s boiling point. Boone handed him the ball; now Stroman must handle the baggage. If he falters, the boos will echo louder than the contact off his cutter. But if he delivers? The same fans might forget last week’s ERA faster than they forget their passwords. Welcome to New York, where redemption takes the mound every fifth day.
Marcus Stroman returns to the Yankees rotation
As the veteran righty reclaims his spot in the rotation, he’s not flinching—he’s focused. Criticism, it seems, isn’t nearly as loud as confidence. Marcus Stroman’s road back to the mound wasn’t paved with dominance, but with determination. Across three Minor League rehab starts, he labored to a 6.97 ERA, including a rough finale where he allowed 10 hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings. But the numbers didn’t shake him—he cared more about movement than results.
Despite the rust, Stroman enters Sunday’s start with quiet confidence and adjusted mechanics. He’s focused on reducing stress on his surgically repaired knee, something he’s managed since tearing his ACL in 2015. “It’s something I try not to put in my head,” he admitted. He knows mental clarity matters more than clean stat lines during a comeback.
The Yankees’ rotation, already posting a strong 3.39 ERA this season, gets deeper with Stroman’s return. His presence unseats Allan Winans and helps cover for Ryan Yarbrough’s injury. Manager Aaron Boone will watch closely for command and pitch crispness, but Stroman is ready. As he said himself, “Everyone’s kind of going out there passing the baton”—and now, it’s his turn to run.
So while some fans are already sharpening their tweets, Stroman is lacing up for the only opinion that matters—his next outing. The Yankees don’t need perfection; they need presence, poise, and a guy who can drown out the doubt with a two-seamer. If the knee holds and the mix plays, Stroman’s critics may find themselves with fewer punchlines and more ERAs to memorize. The mound doesn’t lie—unlike the comment section.
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