TAMPA — Aaron Boone insisted Tuesday that Marcus Stroman was in a good place mentally.
He just did not mention that Stroman would not actually be in the same place physically as the rest of the Yankees’ pitchers during the first few days of camp.
After reporting to Steinbrenner Field on Tuesday to take his physical following an offseason in which the Yankees were trying to trade him, Stroman has not participated in the first two days of workouts for pitchers and catchers.
By collective bargaining agreement rule, the mandatory report date is Feb. 22.
But a person familiar with Stroman’s thinking said the expectation is that he will report before the first full-squad workout Monday, perhaps as early as Friday or Saturday.
The source also said Stroman is not staying away as a protest, though Boone on Thursday did little to quell that notion.
“Obviously, I want all our players here, clearly,” Boone said. “That said, I’m comfortable with where he’s at physically, mentally. He’s a prideful player. He’s a guy that’s had a great career. It’s a little bit of an awkward situation, obviously. So of course I want him here. Trying to keep nudging him to get here. But you also have to respect the fact that this is something players are allowed to do. There’s a mandatory date, and he’s choosing that right now.”
Marcus Stroman has not participated in Yankees spring training yet.Robert Sabo for NY Post
Boone declined to say why Stroman has stayed away from the first two days of workouts, saying he would let the veteran right-hander speak for himself when he arrives to camp.
Boone said he was hopeful that would happen “in the next couple days.”
“I don’t feel any animus between he and I,” Boone said. “I’m confident and comfortable that he’s ready to come in here and do his job at a high level.”
Stroman entered camp as the projected odd man out of the Yankees’ rotation, with six pitchers vying for five spots.
If Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt all remain healthy, they are expected to make up the rotation, though it would take only one injury to put Stroman back in the mix.
“It doesn’t change my opinion of Marcus,” Cole said of Stroman’s absence. “I like him. … It must be a unique and different situation that presents some challenges from the human side of things, for sure.”
The Yankees are projected for about $305 million for luxury tax purposes — or roughly $4 million under the top tier with 110 percent levies.
Other clubs are indicating the Yankees want to move as much as Stroman’s $18 million salary before adding further — if they indeed still are even shopping.
But that is complicated.
Stroman turns 34 in May and is seen as a polarizing player by at least a few other teams. He had a strong first half last year but faltered down the stretch, similar to 2023, when he was injured with the Cubs.
There still are a handful of veteran starters available on the free agent market, and Stroman has an $18 million vesting option for 2026 if he reaches 140 innings in 2025.
Therefore, if the Yankees were to trade Stroman — if they can — the Yankees likely either will have to take on a contract of some heft or eat a portion of Stroman’s deal.
Marcus Stroman faded in the second half of the 2024 season.Jason Szenes for the NY Post
In the meantime, Stroman’s locker sat untouched Thursday with just a few items of team-issued apparel hanging in it.
His fellow starters have spent this week throwing up to two innings of live batting practice — including Cole on Thursday, Rodón on Wednesday and Fried on Monday — though Boone claimed Stroman has been throwing bullpen sessions away from the facility to stay “pretty built up.”
“Obviously, you want to get hands on him as soon as possible and be there and support him any way you can,” said Boone, who has not addressed Stroman’s absence with the team but said he would if needed.
“I certainly understand the look around it and the story around it. I do feel like — and I’ve had communication with him [Wednesday] night, [Thursday] morning — that he is ready to go mentally and physically. Hopefully, he’ll be here in the next couple days.”
