With the New York Yankees desperately clinging to their title hopes, another blow has struck their starting rotation. Right-hander Marcus Stroman has suffered a frustrating setback in his recovery from a lingering knee injury—leaving the Yankees scrambling to find answers, and fast.
The team’s urgency is rising. Stroman hasn’t been available for key innings this season, and his performance when healthy hasn’t met expectations. Manager Aaron Boone addressed the situation candidly, saying, “He’s gotten a lot of treatments on it and stuff… it just can’t kind of get over that final hump to really allow him to get to that next level on the mound.” Boone added, “Certainly that last start, I think he just couldn’t really step on that front side like he needed to… one little thing off and it can affect just that last level of command.”
While Stroman is undoubtedly eager to return—motivated by both personal pride and competitive drive—the Yankees simply can’t afford to wait. They’re in full win-now mode, and time is not on their side.
According to a trade proposal from Jake Elman of Athlon Sports, the Yankees could find their solution in Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen. Elman writes, “It’s never too early for the Yankees to start thinking about adding rotation help, and Arizona Diamondbacks righty Zac Gallen checks every box the Bronx Bombers should have ahead of the July 31 deadline…”
Though Gallen is off to a modest start in 2025 with a 4.59 ERA, his previous seasons showcase his durability and dominance. He’s logged at least 148 innings over the last three years—including two seasons surpassing 184 innings—and has consistently finished among the top five in Cy Young Award voting. Despite being a pending free agent, Gallen’s proven reliability makes him a hot commodity and a potential game-changer for the Yankees.
With Gerrit Cole already lost for the season due to elbow surgery and other arms like Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt also battling injuries, the Yankees’ margin for error is razor-thin. Whether it means giving up prospects or overpaying slightly, the Bombers may be forced to pull the trigger on a major trade—before their postseason hopes slip away.
