Yankees’ Marcus Stroman clears air after screaming at Gleyber Torres (2024)

TORONTO — Marcus Stroman has almost always been the first player out of the Yankees’ dugout to congratulate teammates as they come off the field this season.

Whether it’s a position player after a big home run or a starting pitcher getting taken out in the late innings, Stroman is often right there, giving a hug or a high five in front of the dugout steps.

So, when Gleyber Torres blasted a two-run home run to left field to cap off the Yankees’ six-run sixth in Friday’s 16-5 win over the Blue Jays, it was no surprise to see Stroman — his jersey untucked and a fierce look on his face — in front of the rest of his teammates.

Torres deserved the praise. He was benched for two games and has been a liability on both sides of the ball this season. Returning to the lineup on Friday night and hitting that key home run, part of a late-inning avalanche on offense, is worthy of a little extra hype in the dugout.

But what happened in the previous half inning adds another wrinkle to Stroman’s gesture, a sign that cooler heads had prevailed and a close-knit clubhouse had moved forward.

Stroman was heated when Torres’ throw to first base on a possible double play ball didn’t get to first baseman J.D. Davis in time. Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who isn’t known for his speed, beat it out as a run scored from third in a bases loaded situation.

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It didn’t take an expert lip reader to decipher what Stroman had to say on the mound.

“Throw the [expletive] ball!” Stroman called out in Torres’ direction.

It continued after Yankees manager Aaron Boone took Stroman out of the game later in the frame.

“Show a little [expletive] intensity, a little bit!” Stroman screamed in the dugout.

After the win, the right-hander was refreshingly candid about what happened. He could’ve skirted around the truth and said he was mad at himself for the way that inning unfolded or denied the incident altogether, but he took responsibility.

“This game can definitely have a lot of raw emotion come out,” Stroman said. “I’m very passionate. I care a lot about winning for this team and for the city. Sometimes, raw emotion comes out. I checked in with everybody I needed to check in with after the game. It’s all directed towards winning and being great out there.”

Stroman was battling that inning, trying to limit damage after loading the bases with two singles and a hit by pitch. It makes total sense that he’d be frustrated with a double play ball not turning into two outs.

“I feel like I made a good pitch and that was a big spot,” he said. “I wanted to have that turn there. We didn’t, so raw emotion comes out.”

Stroman even took to social media after the game to make sure he got his point across.

“When you care deeply…frustrations come into the light,” Stroman wrote in a post on X. “That’s on me for losing my cool. I have to be better. Truly love this team and will always compete at the highest level for my brothers.”

Boone agreed that Torres “didn’t get a ton on the throw” to first. The exchange on the feed from shortstop Anthony Volpe was clean, but the sidearm delivery didn’t look like Torres was throwing with urgency.

“That’s gonna be a tough double play to turn,” Boone said. “It’s just Stro being competitive in the moment. We’re playing for a lot as I always tell you guys and sometimes that spills over a little bit.”

Boone revealed that he and Stroman had a conversation about what happened after the game. Stroman’s outburst didn’t look great in the moment — and clips of Stroman screaming circulated quickly on social media — but Boone extinguished those flames, insisting that he had no problem with the competitive spirit.

“There’s no issues in that room with anything,” Boone said. “Those guys are pros and focused and we know what we’re playing for. Every now and then, it can get a little messy.”

Torres also confirmed after the game that Stroman pulled him aside to touch base. The second baseman said he understood where Stroman was coming from, calling the starting pitcher a teammate that always supports everybody.

“I don’t have any issues with that,” Torres said. “I know how hard is the game, so I think it’s part of the game when you’ve got that type of relationship with your teammates.”

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Max Goodman may be reached at mgoodman@njadvancemedia.com.