The Yankees’ starting rotation feels like a ticking time bomb this time… and it’s already starting to go off. When your pitching staff coughs up a 6.02 ERA over the past week, ranking seventh-worst in the league, it’s hard to stay calm. And right at the heart of the storm is Marcus Stroman, the supposed fifth starter, who’s been anything but steady. Across his last three outings, he’s surrendered 12 earned runs on 12 hits in just 9⅓ innings. So, what’s next for Stroman? With no clear backup plan in sight, are the Yankees sticking with him, or is a shakeup already brewing BTS?

Remember how Stroman landed a spot in the rotation in the first place? It wasn’t exactly a glamorous call-up. Injuries to Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) and Luis Gil (lat strain) forced the Yankees’ hand, sliding Stroman into a role he wasn’t initially expected to fill. But now, with Stroman getting lit up—he gave up five runs to the Giants on Friday night—the honeymoon period is officially over. Whispers are growing louder that the Yankees are planning to DFA him. The only question: if Stroman’s out, who steps in?

“The Yankees plan to DFA superstar pitcher Marcus Stroman once Clarke Schmidt is back from rehab. Stroman has expressed an unwillingness to move to the bullpen and his recent string of bad luck starts have prompted the Yankees to move on from the broken relationship,” MLB insider news handle MLBScoops reported. 

The team is now betting on Clarke Schmidt. Schmidt is expected to return this week and should provide better stability as a reliable middle-of-the-rotation arm. After starting the 2025 season on the IL with right rotator cuff inflammation, Schmidt made his second rehab appearance with Double-A Somerset on Thursday, throwing four scoreless innings with four strikeouts and allowing four hits. He threw 61 pitches, 45 of them for strikes, delivering a strong outing. He’s expected to rejoin the rotation, likely taking the mound on Tuesday or Wednesday.

So, is this the end of the Yankees-Stroman relationship?

Ideally, it shouldn’t be. Stroman could move to the bullpen. But he’s not willing. “I won’t pitch in the bullpen. I’m a starter,” Stroman said during spring training. So what options do the Yankees have? Not much, other than a DFA. Without Stroman, it’s uncertain if Schmidt alone can lift the struggling pitching staff.

To survive a rough April, the Yankees have heavily leaned on their offense. But patching up the rotation is getting harder. As soon as the trade market opens up, the Yankees will need outside help — maybe even trading a few old friends?

The Yankees need external help

Besides Marcus Stroman, neither Will Warren nor Carlos Carrasco was expected to be part of the starting rotation at the beginning of the season. Carrasco, given his age, is at best a stopgap. Warren is still too young to handle more than 150 innings at the major league level. Yankees GM Brian Cashman should be scouring the trade market for upgrades. The first name to watch? Dylan Cease.

Cease has the tools to slot in as a No. 2 starter for a team with World Series ambitions. Yes, acquiring him will cost the Yankees a lot, but they should only focus on major upgrades. The Padres are likely to hold onto him for a postseason push, but if that dream fades, the Yankees could make a stronger offer. Cease’s current 7.98 ERA doesn’t scream “must-trade,” but it’s too small a sample size to judge him fairly.

Remember Michael King? The pitcher the Yankees sent to San Diego for Juan Soto? Well, he had a huge second half in 2023, posting a 2.02 ERA. As a starter for the Padres last year, he pitched 173.2 innings with 201 strikeouts and a 2.95 ERA — numbers good enough to help stabilize the Yankees’ rotation if he ever returns to the Bronx.

Right now, Schmidt is the Yankees’ only ray of hope coming back from injury. Luis Gil and Gerrit Cole are not options in the short term. What the Yankees really need is outside reinforcements, and landing one of the names mentioned above would be a big step forward.

Who do you think the Yankees should pursue?