Stroman punched out six batters, issued two walks and threw 46 pitches (27 strikes) in his rehab debut. He was sitting in the 89-mph range with his sinker, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. The 34-year-old veteran righty is aiming to rejoin New York’s rotation mix at some point in the coming weeks as he wraps up his rehabilitation process from knee inflammation.

The veteran has been on the IL with knee inflammation since April 12th, so this rehab stint will likely be a lengthy one. Depending on the timeline for fellow starter Luis Gil’s return from his lat injury, there may not be a spot in the rotation for Stroman by the time he’s healthy.

It’s the first time Stroman has faced hitters since suffering a setback earlier this month with his left knee. The 34-year-old has been out since mid-April due to knee inflammation, so it’s encouraging that he’s progressed to facing hitters again, which is usually the final step before starting a rehab assignment.

The veteran is still experiencing discomfort in his knee after throwing a live batting practice session on Friday. Until he can throw without pain, there is no timeline for his return to the Yankees rotation.