In advance of their postseason match-up with the Kansas City Royals that starts Saturday in the Bronx, the New York Yankees released their 26-man roster for that best-of-five American League Division Series. The biggest surprise is that right-handed starter Marcus Stroman has been left off the Yankees' ALDS roster.
Each ALDS has two off days built into the schedule, which allowed the Yankees to go with a small-by-current-standards 11-man pitching staff. That pair of off days also means the Yankees and other ALDS participants can go with a three-man rotation. Those considerations led to Stroman's being left off, essentially in favor of speedster and pinch-running specialist Duke Ellis.
During the regular season, the 33-year-old Stroman was a rotation fixture for the Yankees en route to their winning the AL East title. Across 29 starts and one relief appearance, Stroman pitched to a 4.31 ERA and a 95 ERA+ with 113 strikeouts and 60 unintentional walks in 154 2/3 innings. Those are adequate numbers overall, but Stroman's performance since June has been lacking – he has a 5.70 ERA since the start of June – and that probably informed the Yankees' decision to a large degree. If the Yankees advance to the best-of-seven American League Championship Series, then Stroman can be rostered at that time if they so choose.
Of note is that Stroman, who's in his first season with the Yankees, is owed $18.5 million for 2025, and his contract includes a $18 million option for 2026 that vests automatically if he reaches 140 innings pitched next season.
Against the Royals, the Yankees will turn to ace Gerrit Cole for Saturday's series opener. Carlos Rodón is expected to start Game 2 and either Luis Gil or Clarke Schmidt will start Game 3. Michael Wacha goes for the Royals Saturday.
