Marcus Stroman had a few more days to work on his mechanics after his start was postponed following a dismal second straight game.
The extra work paid off on Sunday, as the right-hander gave up just one run over five-plus innings in the Yankees’ 8-7 win over Texas in the Bronx.
“It’s tough being locked down for a whole year,” Stroman said.
And after allowing 12 runs (10 earned) in just six innings over his previous two starts, he and the Yankees felt they needed to do something about it.
Stroman issued three walks on Sunday and still wasn’t at his best, but he was mostly effective and much better than he was against the Red Sox and Blue Jays.
Despite these hardships, Stroman insisted his thinking hasn’t changed.
“I’m not one of those guys that loses confidence after a few fights,” Stroman said.
But his declining performance goes back much further than just a pair of duds.
Stroman had a 2.60 ERA over his first 12 starts before taking the mound Sunday with a 6.32 ERA over his previous 10 starts.
Coach Aaron Boone credited Stroman’s lower-body work to the success.
“He was good,” Boone said. “He stayed away from the center of home plate. … He was able to get the ball on the ground when he needed to.”
Stroman walked Josh Smith and allowed an RBI double to Corey Seager in the top of the sixth, but was replaced by Jake Cousins, who got through the inning without giving up a run.
Boone wondered if Stroman was tiring because his pitch count approached 90 after being in the 60s in each of his previous two appearances.
Stroman’s sinker was mostly below 90 mph, but he once again proved it wasn’t without production.
With the starting rotation desperate for stability, Stroman’s return could be a key development.
