Yankees’ Stroman Struggles in Rough Home Opening Against Giants

NEW YORK, New York — Marcus Stroman‘s season hit a new low Friday night as he allowed five runs without recording an out in the New York Yankees‘ game against the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium.

The right-hander, who faced mounting pressure to perform, gave up a double to Mike Yastrzemski on the very first pitch. Following that, Willy Adames drew a walk before Jung Hoo Lee launched a three-run home run into the right-field stands. The painful start generated boos from a chilly crowd, quickly putting the Yankees in a 3-0 hole.

“It’s tough to find a rhythm when you’re behind like that,” Stroman said post-game. “I need to be better and give my team a chance to win, especially at home.”

LaMonte Wade Jr. exacerbated the early woes with a two-run single, making it a staggering five-run deficit before Stroman recorded his first out by striking out former Met Wilmer Flores. Manager Aaron Boone was forced to bring in Ryan Yarbrough after Tyler Fitzgerald hit a single, reflecting Stroman’s struggles this season.

Stroman’s struggles this year have been well-documented. He arrived at spring training without a clear position in the starting rotation, a situation resulting from injuries to Luis Gil and Gerrit Cole. In his first two outings against the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates, he allowed seven earned runs over 8.2 innings.

Meanwhile, the Giants entered the series with momentum from an impressive start, holding a 9-3 record, their best 12-game beginning since 2003. The team has achieved notable victories, including three walk-off wins on their recent homestand. They ended their previous game on a high note, taking an 8-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds, bolstered by Yastrzemski’s game-ending two-run homer and contributions from rookie Jung Hoo Lee, who boasts a .333 batting average.

“We wanted to build off the energy from our last game,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin. “Every win adds to the confidence.”

The Yankees, who posted 22 homers during their first homestand, have struggled to maintain consistency, particularly during their recent road trip where they went 3-3. In their last match, they faced challenges during a tight 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers despite scoring 19 runs in the initial two games of the trip.

“We need to harness that power across all games, especially at home,” Yankees catcher Ben Rice said. “We can’t afford to have nights like this.”

Stroman, still looking for his first win of the season, will need to rebound quickly as he prepares to face a Giants team that shows no signs of slowing down. On the other side, Giants left-hander Robbie Ray, with a 2-0 record and a 3.18 ERA, is set to start the series opener against the Yankees.

As the Yankees look to regain form, fans will hope for a turnaround from their struggling ace.