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Marcus Stroman threw 2 1/3 innings in his first spring training start with the New York Yankees on Sunday, giving up three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two.
The 32-year-old right-hander — who grew up in Medford and played five seasons for the Raiders at Patchogue-Medford High School — signed a $37 million, two-year deal during the offseason. He said it was “exciting getting the first one under the belt” after throwing 31 of 52 pitches for strikes in a split-squad game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I felt good in spurts today, just wasn’t overall over the 50 pitches,” Stroman said. “I just need to increase my consistency and feeling good in my mechanics more often. I just feel like it was probably maybe around 25 to 30 pitches today out of the 50.”
Stroman went ahead 0-2 in the count on five of his first six batters, but had the count reach 3-2 on four of them.
“As far as throwing strikes and being able to come in the zone with a few of my pitches, I feel like I’m ahead of schedule in that sense,” Stroman said. “But definitely not synched up and where I need to be mechanically heading in a season. But, over the next, you know, two, three, four outings, I see that all coming together.”
Stroman missed six weeks last season because of inflammation in his right hip and then a rib cartilage fracture, and finished with a 3.95 ERA that was his highest since 2018.
Also on Sunday in New York’s other split-squad game, slugger Juan Soto connected for his first spring homer in pinstripes, going deep in the fourth inning off Toronto right-hander Trevor Richards.
“You want to be out there, you want to get that feeling of the Yankees fans,” Soto said. “You always heard about them (and then) you get to a point where you be like, I want to feel that. I want to see how it’s going to feel to have them … cheering for me instead of booing me. It’s been pretty good.”
Top: This is a 2024 photo of Marcus Stroman of the New York Yankees baseball team. This image reflects the Yankees active roster as of Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, when this image was taken. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
