Cashman on the then-28/year-old Stroman at 2019 trade deadline:
"We were interested but we didn't think he would be a difference-maker. We felt he would be in our bullpen in the postseason."
Stroman responded on Twitter (keep in mind he was a Yankee fan growing up and wanted to come to NYY at this deadline if possible):
“Besides Cole, there’s no current Yankee pitcher who will be anywhere in my league over the next 5-7 years. Their pitching always folds in the end. That lineup and payroll should be winning World Series left and right…yet they’re in a drought. Lol.”
So let's examine the evidence five years later:
The 2019 Yankees won 103 games and swept the ALDS before losing 4-2 to HOU in the ALCS (again). NY's rotation in the ALCS was Tanaka, Happ and Cole, and Tanaka again on full rest in game 4. However this three man rotation only worked until game 6 (played on 3 days rest from game 3) so NY went with Chad Green as the opener, and he gave up 3 runs in the 1st of a season-ending 6-4 loss. NY certainly could have used Stroman in that game if not sooner.
Tanaka and Happ have been out of MLB since 2020 and 2021 respectively, pretty sure history has proven Stroman completely correct in this back and forth. The only thing that he was somewhat wrong about is that it is almost always the hitting that has let down recent NYY teams in the postseason, not the pitching.