Marcus Stroman decision could be first Yankees domino to fall with playoffs looming

They are trying to nail down the division title that would afford the Yankees a bye out of the opening, lightning-round best-of-three. That’s important but not necessarily critical to the cause. 

Rather, the priority facing manager Aaron Boone and the hierarchy over the 15 games and two-plus weeks remaining in the regular season is crafting a postseason rotation, lineup and back end of the bullpen that will have staying power. 

Autumn starts a week from Sunday, yet the rest of the month will be filled with spring training-like auditions. Will the Yankees trot out Alex Verdugo in left field every day while Jasson Dominguez is on the bench? Will the team actually start the playoffs with a Closer-for-the-Day? 

And of their six potential starting pitchers, which one(s) will be dropped from the rotation — if not likely the postseason roster — for at least the best-of-three and the next round’s best-of-five? 

Boone provided a pretty heavy hint before Friday’s game in The Bronx against the Red Sox. And while the manager stressed that no decision is irrevocable — and of course, that is the case — it does not look promising for Marcus Stroman, who will be skipped next time through as the Yankees work with a five-man rotation that will feature Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt and Nester Cortes.

“Stro will be out this time around,” Boone said of the 33-year-old righthander, who has pitched to a 5.57 ERA over his last four starts and was knocked around his last two times out. “He’ll be available for us in the bullpen probably on Sunday and then we’ll keep evaluating.”