BRADENTON, Fla. – The wind was strong at the Pirates’ LECOM Park on Sunday, but nothing was breezier than Marcus Stroman’s second inning.
The Yankees’ right-hander needed just three pitches to get through the frame. The quick inning contributed to a strong outing for Stroman, who totaled four hits, two walks, five strikeouts and 85 pitches over six scoreless innings in his last start of the spring.
“I thought he was extremely efficient, especially early on,” said bench coach Brad Ausmus, who managed the 1-0 win with the Yankees also playing an exhibition series in Mexico City. “A lot of ground balls. Slider got better as he went deeper. It was a good outing. We got his pitch count in.”
3 pitches. 3 outs. @STR0 👊 pic.twitter.com/BxygzF1XGx
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 24, 2024
Stroman, the Yankees’ biggest addition to the rotation over the offseason, ended his spring with a 2.61 ERA over five starts and 20.2 innings. He walked seven and struck out 16 while working on his mechanics throughout camp.
On Sunday, he came away more than happy with his movements on the mound.
“I felt good,” Stroman said. “I felt like my mechanics were the best they’ve been all spring, so that’s honestly what I’m happiest with. I felt the most comfortable on the rubber with my fluidity. I felt like I was getting to the same position.
“When I have that consistency, I feel like I’m able to limit the damage and pitch deep into games.”
With his camp now over, Stroman’s sights are set on the regular season. He will start the Yankees’ third game in Houston on March 30. The Long Island native is also scheduled to start the Yankees’ home opener on April 5.
He previously called that opportunity “exhilarating.” He’s looking forward to it after assimilating into the Yankees’ clubhouse this spring.
“It’s been great,” Stroman said of his new digs. “I’ve been very calm. It’s been very fluid. Been able to be myself. I haven’t had to come outside of that at all. The group of guys we have are incredible. So much knowledge being passed along. In this clubhouse, so many guys have been doing it at the highest level for so long. So yeah, I feel very settled. When I’m calm and fluid, I’m usually pretty dangerous out on the mound. So it’s just a matter of focusing and getting my body and my mind right each and every start.”
BEETER, BURDI CHECK BULLPEN BOXES
Starting pitching prospect Clayton Beeter continued his sharp spring on Saturday, allowing one earned run over four innings in relief against the Tigers.
On Sunday, Ausmus noted that Beeter entered the game in the middle of an inning, “which is something we wanted to check off the list.” Later in the day, the Yankees reassigned fellow prospect Will Warren to minor league camp and optioned three relievers on the 40-man roster: Ron Marinaccio, Cody Poteet and Nick Ramirez.
Beeter, who can provide length, is also on the 40-man roster. That he wasn’t among the optioned group is interesting.
The Yankees have at least two bullpen jobs up for grabs, and they could carry an extra reliever for the first few days of the season since fifth starter Luis Gil won’t be needed until April 1.
“I’m not in charge, but it seems like he is,” Ausmus said when asked if Beeter is a candidate for the bullpen.
Nick Burdi, meanwhile, is among the favorites for one of those jobs after an eye-popping camp. On Sunday, he threw 1.1 scoreless innings against Pittsburgh, his former team. It was the first time the oft-injured Burdi logged more than three outs this spring.
Afterward, Ausmus said that the Yankees wanted to see Burdi go more than one inning.
KAHNLE’S OUTLOOK
Tommy Kahnle was scheduled to throw 25 pitches in a live batting practice session at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Sunday. Pitching coach Matt Blake said that the reliever is close to pitching in games and that the Yankees hope to activate him over the first couple weeks of the season.
Kahnle is not hurt, but his build-up was delayed this spring after his 2023 season ended with shoulder inflammation in September.
LEMAHIEU LONG SHOT FOR OPENING DAY
Aaron Boone, speaking to reporters in Mexico, said that DJ LeMahieu is a “long shot” for Opening Day, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. The third baseman has been dealing with a significant bone bruise after fouling a ball off his right foot.
Boone added that he is comfortable with Oswaldo Cabrera as the team’s Opening Day third baseman if LeMahieu is a no-go. However, the Yankees could seek external options as teams start to cut players at the end of camp.
