Yankees find novel way to handle rotation logjam

The New York Yankees rotation depth is a blessing and a curse.

The Yankees have six viable options for their starting rotation in Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, Luis Gil, Nestor Cortes and Clarke Schmidt. That depth proved valuable when Cole, Gil and Schmidt all missed time during the season. Now, the Yankees need to find a way to keep all six starters fresh.

Instead of a six-man rotation, the Yankees are taking a different approach. Cortes was bumped from the rotation last week, covering the final 4.1 innings of the Yankees' 2-0 victory over the Cubs on Sept. 7. While Cortes was initially upset about his demotion, Phillip Martinez of SNY reported that the lefty stated he is willing to take on any role in the postseason.

This time, it is Stroman's turn to head to the bullpen. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reported that Stroman will be available out of the bullpen on Sunday. Bryan Hoch from MLB.com added that Cortes will remain in the rotation and make his next start.

Stroman has struggled after a strong start to the 2024 season. He has posted a 5.35 ERA and a 1.620 WHiP in his 79 innings since June 1, striking out 54 batters with 31 walks. His performance over the past few months made his demotion to the bullpen seemingly inevitable.

However, this demotion may not last long. Rodon and Gil are the projected starters for the Yankees on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively. Stroman could fill a similar role to Cortes, pitching the final few innings as the Yankees look to manage workloads heading into the postseason. Likewise, another pitcher could take Stroman's role in the bullpen next week as the Yankees keep their starters fresh.