NEW YORK — Brian Cashman apologized to Marcus Stroman over the Yankees general manager's remarks in 2019 before New York negotiated a two-year, $37 million contract with the 32-year-old right-hander.
Cashman has discussed trading for Stroman with Toronto before The Blue Jays dealt the pitcher to New York Mets in July 2019.
“We were interested in Stroman but we didn't think he would be a difference-maker,” Cashman told Yahoo Sports in 2019. “We felt like he was going to be the focus of our attention in the postseason.”
Cashman said he apologized at the time through Strowman's agent and directly to Strowman during negotiations this offseason.
“I just said that for the amount of talent they want to bring back, it's not going to be enough to make a difference,” Cashman said during a Zoom news conference on Thursday. “That was bad for me, because at the time the way I played it wasn't exactly what was intended.”
Stroman spoke with Cashman on the phone during negotiations.
“Cashman and I analyzed everything we had from a few years ago,” Stroman said during a Zoom call earlier Thursday. “We kind of laughed about it and moved on.”
Stroman, a two-time All-Star, missed six weeks last season with the Chicago Cubs because of inflammation in his right hip and then a fractured costal cartilage. He finished 10-9 with a 3.95 ERA, his highest since 2018, leaving him 77-76 with a 3.65 ERA since his big league debut in 2014.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone visited Stroman's home during the draft, and Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rizzo and Anthony Volpe also spoke with the free agent.
“This is an ultimate competitor. This is someone who wants the big stage and wants the bright lights,” Cashman said. “There's a bunch of major league talent that doesn't want to play in New York. It's too hot. It's too hard. It's too much. But that's not that player.”
Strowman has a reputation among some for having a controversial relationship with fans.
“I would say I was definitely misunderstood,” he explained. “I think people are going to have a different view of me after my time here. I don't think Cash, I don't think Bonnie, I don't think Judge would want me to be a part if they didn't know the character and what I was like as a teammate.”
Stroman joins a team expected to include AL Cy Young Award winner Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes and Clark Schmidt. Rodon and Curtis are already training at the Yankees' complex in Tampa, Florida, after injury-shortened seasons.
“We like what we have,” Cashman said of the rotation.
Other major moves for New York this offseason included acquiring defensive players Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham.
“I think we got better,” Cashman said. “I think our team was better than we finished, regardless of last year.”
Outfielder Jason Dominguez is expected to return from Tommy John surgery sometime in the summer, and said Giancarlo Stanton has been working hard on conditioning and diet after hitting a career-worst .191 with 60 RBIs last season.
Cashman said doctors told the team they expected Rizzo to recover from the May 28 concussion that ruined the first baseman's season.
“The doctors told us he was 100 percent healthy. The type of concussion he had, once he recovered, would not come back,” Cashman said.
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