This right-handed pitcher may lean towards staying on the East Coast, and despite the Los Angeles Angels exploring various free agent pitchers to enhance their starting rotation, one particular player appears more inclined to join the New York Yankees.
As reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Marcus Stroman, a right-handed pitcher, has expressed his desire to play for the Yankees in the upcoming season. Stroman previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2014 to 2019, followed by four seasons split between the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs.
With a career record of 77-76, an ERA of 3.65, and an opponents’ OPS of .684, the 32-year-old pitcher has maintained durability, having never faced a career-threatening injury. His recent season with the Chicago Cubs was solid, posting a 10-9 record with a 3.95 ERA and 119 strikeouts.
Despite opting out of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Stroman’s velocity has not significantly declined, losing no more than 1 mph over the last three years, according to Statcast. Notably, only nine major league pitchers have made more starts than Stroman since 2016.
The Angels, over the years, have been in pursuit of Stroman through trade or free agency, possibly influenced by the longstanding relationship between General Manager Perry Minasian and Stroman from their time together in Toronto (2012-16).
If Stroman indeed chooses the Yankees for the next season, it would be another setback for the Angels, who have already missed out on their top targets, Shohei Ohtani and outfielder Teoscar Hernández, both of whom joined the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With the potential exclusion of Stroman, the Angels may need to explore trade options for starting pitching help, as only Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Shōta Imanaga remain as impactful starters on their roster.