Marcus Stroman has been struggling to get clean innings lately and this has never been more apparent than during Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Astros.
The right-hander went 5.2 innings, but it was the three runs he allowed in the first that put the Yankees in a hole they couldn’t climb out of despite their best efforts.
“There’s definitely a lot of adversity,” Stroman said after the game. “I wasn’t good enough at first. I just put our team in a little hole. Yeah, I just have to be better. I can’t leave three in the first, I don’t give my team a chance when I do that.”
The first inning of Thursday’s game started well for Stroman. He got the first two with little trouble, but gave up a monster home run to Jordan Alvarez this was at 395 feet. It was just a solo shot, Stroman was still able to start strong, but then walked Jeremy Pena on six pitches and allowed a second bomb to an Astros hitter, this time to Jon Singleton which struck the face of the third deck, approximately 442 feet.
Stroman attributes those home runs to pitch execution, but said he made a “small mechanical adjustment” to help with his placement.
“I just played with some things, but I just didn’t execute on some of those pitches,” he explained. “They capitalized on two pitches that didn’t end up doing what I wanted them to do. So, it’s baseball.”
Stroman acknowledged that he needs to improve his pitching, especially in the two-strike count, but that it all comes down to execution at the end of the day. The “process-oriented” Stroman says he’ll get back to tinkering and it’ll look better next time.
He feels he is finding his way better than in recent matches. Stroman walked two batters on Thursday after walking five in each of his previous two starts.
Despite Thursday’s early struggles, Stroman gave the Yankees some length and gave the offense a chance to recover, they simply couldn’t get enough hits to beat the rival Astros tonight.
“Tough first inning, but I fought and got out of a lot of trouble afterwards,” said the Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game. “We gave a solid effort and gave ourselves a chance.”
Although the Yankees lost, they head to Tampa after a 5-1 loss.
Stroman is excited about what the team is doing now and hopes to contribute with their next turn in the rotation.
“Great ownership. I think we’re clicking. I think the lineup is clicking on all cylinders, one through nine. The bullpen has been incredible. I think the innings have been incredible. Like I said, I just put us in a Little hole today, but I’m sure we’ll come back tomorrow against the Rays and hopefully continue our winning ways.”
