Yankees willing to absorb part of Marcus Stroman's salary for 2025, should the Cleveland Guardians be interested?

All signs point to Marcus Stroman's time with the New York Yankees coming to an end. That is at least according to a report from The New York Post's Jon Heyman. It is stated that the Yankees are willing to pay a chunk of Stroman's salary for the upcoming season to a make trade come to fruition, and that leaves one question. Should the Cleveland Guardians be interested?

First things first, Stroman is slated to make $18.3 million in 2025 with a vesting option for 2026, which becomes activated for the same amount if he reaches 140 innings pitched. This would make him the second-highest-paid player on the Guardians in 2025 and 2026, behind only Jose Ramirez. However, it is worth mentioning that Stroman has only eclipsed the 140-inning mark twice in the past four seasons, so it is not exactly a guarantee for him to reach that milestone.

Over the course of his career, Stroman has been a solid, good but not spectacular arm, playing for the Blue Jays, Mets, Cubs, and Yankees. With a career 3.72 ERA and 1.275 WHIP, Stroman would slot in nicely right in the middle of Cleveland's rotation. With that being said, there are some concerns.

Stroman's ERA has increased over the past four seasons, going from 3.02 in 2021 to 4.31 last season, with his WHIP following suit (1.145 to 1.468 over the past four seasons). This is concerning for the 33-year-old, as this usually is a pretty good indicator of a pitcher about to experience a complete falloff when it comes to effectiveness. Add in the fact that the Guardians traded away their Platinum Glove-winning second baseman in Andres Gimenez, and bringing in the ground ball-inducing Stroman may not seem like the best idea.

Unless the Yankees eat a substantial amount of his 2025 salary or there is a strong internal belief that the Guardians could get Stroman back on the right track, it is best for Cleveland to say thanks but no thanks when it comes to a potential deal between the two ballclubs.