Earlier reports suggesting that the Yankees had no interest in signing free agent pitcher Marcus Stroman were not entirely accurate. On Monday, the person responsible for the initial report, Bob Nightengale, reversed his stance. On X (formerly Twitter), Nightengale stated:

“The Yankees and free-agent starter Marcus Stroman still share mutual interest, a connection that originated in November at the GM meetings. The Yankees are actively seeking another top-tier starter through both free agency and trades. Following the loss of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023, the Yankees have intensified their quest for a high-caliber starting pitcher.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal on Friday, New York is genuinely pursuing a trade for White Sox starter Dylan Cease. They are also reportedly interested in NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, although a source mentioned to Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media that Snell’s asking price might be deemed too high—MLB Trade Rumors projects a potential seven-year, $200 million deal for Snell.

Opting for Stroman would mean committing less money for fewer years compared to Snell. However, it would also mean passing up on the potential of Cease, who is under team control until 2025.

Stroman spent the last two seasons with the Cubs, where he posted a 3.73 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 7.8 K/9 in 275 1/3 innings. Injuries affected his performance and availability during both campaigns, leading him to opt out of his three-year, $71 million deal after the second season.

During his two-plus seasons with the Mets, Stroman pitched 238 2/3 innings with a 3.31 ERA. He opted out of the 2020 COVID-affected season. Before being traded to the Mets in 2019, the Long Island native, then a member of the Blue Jays, expressed a strong interest in being traded to the Yankees. He even liked a tweet referencing the possibility of him joining the Yankees, later telling the Toronto Sun:

“I’m built for (Yankee Stadium). Anybody can say whatever, but I’m built for the bright lights and the moment. I’m not scared of it. I’ll never be. I love it … My stuff is my stuff. I know who I am as a competitor. I know when the bright lights turn on. I don’t think (how I do) start to start (will affect) a team wanting me. My track record kind of speaks for itself at this point. I compete. I get a lot of ground balls. I can get strikeouts when I need them. It is what it is.”