Earlier this offseason, the New York Yankees added left-handed pitcher Max Fried to their roster, positioning the southpaw alongside Gerrit Cole at the top of their rotation. The rotation also includes Luis Gil, Carlos Rodon, Clark Schmidt, and Marcus Stroman. Additionally, the Yankees have several pitching prospects who might be ready to compete at the Major League level.
It’s clear that the Yankees will need to part ways with one of their big-league pitchers, with Marcus Stroman being the most likely candidate. Stroman was excluded from the 2024 postseason roster and is currently earning close to $20 million per year.
The Yankees probably won’t aim for a massive return in prospects. Instead, the move would primarily serve as a salary dump, potentially bringing back a few prospects ranked within a team’s top 30.
The ideal trade partner is already within reach.
The Atlanta Braves faced challenges with pitching depth in 2024 after ace Spencer Strider suffered an elbow injury. Although the staff still featured some strong options, the overall depth was lacking. Adding to their woes, the Braves have now lost two starting pitchers to free agency.
Max Fried has signed with the Yankees, while Charlie Morton recently secured a deal with the Baltimore Orioles.
Although Atlanta has several top pitching prospects, the team needs to acquire a proven big-league arm.
Atlanta could trade a few fringe top-30 prospects to the Yankees in exchange for Marcus Stroman. This would clear Stroman’s salary from the Yankees’ books while providing Atlanta with a much-needed starting pitcher.
