For the last few months, rumors have swirled that the New York Yankees would try to trade starting pitcher Marcus Stroman this offseason. And it’s made quite a bit of sense.

Stroman was a healthy scratch from the Yankees’ 2024 World Series roster. They’ve since added Max Fried to the rotation alongside Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt, and Luis Gil. With those five, Stroman is a distant sixth place to land in the Yankees’ starting rotation.

But given some recent news, the Bronx Bombers may be better off holding onto Stroman and his $37 million contract.

It was recently revealed Gil was suffering from some shoulder tightness in his throwing arm. New York has decided to shut him down for the time being while he undergoes an MRI to determine what kind of damage there is.

With the Yankees ordering an MRI, it could be a precautionary measure, but it may also mean the injury is more severe than it’s believed to be. If Gil is going to miss any significant time, Stroman is going to have a very pivotal role in the Yankees’ pitching staff.

Top prospect Will Warren has looked excellent for the Bronx Bombers this spring, but he struggled last year, so it’s hard to imagine the Yankees would trust him to start the season at the big league level.

That leaves Stroman to be the fifth and final starter in the rotation to begin the year. If he pitches well, the Yankees will have a very tough decision to make with him. They could either trade him away or move one of the other starters to the bullpen in order to keep Stroman on the roster.