Yankees skipping Marcus Stroman’s start in latest rotation twist

The Yankees have “difficult decisions to make,” manager Aaron Boone said Friday after making another one. 

The club’s rotation has a new odd man out. After Nestor Cortes’ start was skipped last week, it will be Marcus Stroman who at least temporarily falls out of the starting group this turn. 

Stroman has been the weakest link of late and will now be unlinked, available out of the bullpen Sunday after four days’ rest.

Remaining in the rotation will be Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt and Cortes, who had expressed frustration — and later acceptance — after tag-teaming a start with Schmidt last Saturday. 

In that outing, Cortes threw 4 ¹/₃ hitless, scoreless innings.

On Thursday, the lefty held the Red Sox to one run in five innings while striking out nine in a 2-1 win.

He is trending up, while Stroman has been trending down. 

The righty was excellent in the first half, when he pitched to a 3.51 ERA in 19 starts, but has struggled as the season has lengthened.

In his two September outings, Stroman has allowed eight runs in nine innings and elevated his ERA to 4.07. 

In his first season in pinstripes, the 33-year-old has performed roughly to expectations:

He has taken the ball consistently, rarely been knocked around — the Yankees own a 17-11 record in his starts — but might lack front-of-the-rotation stuff. 

“He is one of the reasons we’re here,” Boone said of Stroman, who is signed at least through next season. “He’s gone to the post for us, taken all his starts, won a lot of ballgames for us. And I think one of the reasons we have a chance to get to the postseason is some of the consistency of our starting pitching.” 

Boone met with Stroman on Thursday, when Cortes pitched well, to deliver news Boone said Stroman handled well. 

“Basically [Stroman’s] message to me is: ‘Whatever you need, and I’ll be ready to go,’ ” Boone said before the Yankees’ 5-4 comeback win over the Red Sox in The Bronx. “I think he just wants to be part of a winner. I think … as much as we’ve enjoyed him being here with us and becoming a really important part of our room, that room has really loved him back. He’s been a real joy for me to get to manage, frankly.” 

The demotion is not necessarily permanent, as Cortes has proven.

Working against Stroman, though, are the two off days on the two Mondays remaining in the season that will provide built-in breaks for the rotation.

Boone said he wanted to stick with five starters at least through this turn and “maybe the next time around, too.” 

For a team in first place in the AL East, the playoff rotation would have to be whittled further. For a best-of-five divisional series, the Yankees only would need three or possibly four starters. 

Cole is the ace, and Gil’s stuff when right is virtually unhittable.

Rodon’s second half has been encouraging, sporting a 3.42 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 23 ⅔ innings in his past four starts.

Schmidt and Cortes are fighting for rotation spots and have bullpen experience. 

“We have a lot of really good options that have made those decisions difficult,” Boone said. 

Boone referred to his rotation situation as “fluid,” and there might still be time for Stroman to fight his way into the starting group or carve a bullpen role.

Stroman has made 251 career starts and emerged from the bullpen just eight times in his career.

In five postseason starts, all of which were in 2015 and ’16 with the Blue Jays, Stroman has pitched to a 4.40 ERA. 

“It’s just another good pitcher that we have in the [bullpen] mix,” Boone said of Stroman. “Whatever role that turns into.”