The Yankees announced today that right-hander Clarke Schmidt has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 27, with a right lat strain. Right-hander Cody Morris has been recalled in a corresponding move.
At this point, the full details of the injury aren’t clear. Schmidt started for the Yankees in San Diego on Sunday and all seemed fairly normal, as he tossed 101 pitches over five innings. It seems that Schmidt either felt sore after that start or perhaps aggravated something during a bullpen session. The club will likely provide more details about the issue and his expected absence in due time.
Regardless of how long Schmidt is out of action, this will interrupt what was shaping up to be a brilliant breakout season, something that MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently took a detailed look at. Thanks to some adjustments to his pitch mix, Schmidt has been able to have far better results this year than in the past.
Last year, he made 33 appearances for the Yanks, 32 of those being starts. He tossed 159 innings, allowing 4.64 earned runs per nine. He struck out 21.5% of batters faced while giving out walks at a 6.6% rate. Here in 2024, he’s thrown 60 2/3 innings over 11 starts with a 2.52 ERA, 27.1% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate.
That tremendous improvement has been huge for the Yankees, as they have been without their ace Gerrit Cole all year so far. Cole has been battling elbow inflammation since the spring but the rest of the rotation has stepped up in his absence. In addition to Schmidt’s strong work, each of Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman have bounced back from injury-marred seasons in 2023. None of that trio has an ERA higher than 3.30 this season. Luis Gil, who hardly pitched in the past two years due to Tommy John surgery, has a 1.99 ERA so far.
That the Cole-less rotation has been so strong is a big reason why the Yankees are 38-19, the best record in the American League. Now they will have to reach beyond that starting group for essentially the first time this year. Cody Poteet started the second game of a doubleheader on April 13, but apart from that, every Yankee game this year has been started by the fivesome of Schmidt, Rodón, Cortes, Stroman and Gil.
Cole has yet to begin a rehab assignment and is therefore still weeks away. JT Brubaker, recovering from Tommy John surgery, hasn’t yet begun a rehab assignment either. Luke Weaver has plenty of starting experience but has been in a leverage role this year, earning seven holds, including five this month. Poteet and Clayton Beeter are on the minor league injured list. Yoendrys Gómez was just optioned three days ago and can’t be recalled for a 15-day period unless directly replacing an injured player. Will Warren is one of the club’s best pitching prospects but he has an ERA of 8.53 in Triple-A this year and isn’t yet on the 40-man roster.
How the Yanks play things will remain to be seen. They have an off-day on Monday and could perhaps do some kind of bullpen day on Saturday, when Schmidt was scheduled to start, before coming up with a better long-term solution next week.
If cole comes back I think it’s either Nestor or Clarke that gets bumped off the rotation
Nestor is pitching well and a vet. No way he gets bumped even if his ERA is a full run higher. Luis Gil’s workload should be managed so I think he could piggyback on Cole’s first two starts and give the pen some rest.
Gil is likely on an innings count.
They’re all pitching well. They’ll be more injuries and they’ll need to restrict Gil for a bit. Most likely they’ll end up “managing” innings across the rotation.
Ya know anything about some teams including the Yankees using camera tech to help track pitcher fatigue? I know Driveline does something similar. I wonder if anything was picked up during Schmidt’s bullpen session.
Holy Schmidt!
I gained a greater appreciation for both the New York Yankees and the state of New York today. Thank You! America says Thank You to the state of New York! Get well soon Clarke Schmidt. Guilty!!
Here we go again. It’s just the beginning. Why not call up Beeter or someone else. It’s definitely going to be an interesting second half. The starters are not used to this many innings.
Here what goes again?
Beeter is dealing with a shoulder injury. He’s on the shelf for at least a month
Ouch could be out til September
A few weeks of shut down depending on severity.
Shocking news. Gil (T) is next. Already overworked rotation will collapse soon. Count to 34.
@whyhayzee
Bunch of babies, I say. Guy’s used to go multiple complete games in a season and not blink an eye. Today’s guy’s are just not built for durability and long-term success.
I miss the good ol’days when pitchers pitched and batters hit. Nowadays, pitchers chuck and batters strikeout.
York,
Even when pitchers pitched, some of them hit.
@Old York: And get off my lawn, you whippersnappers!
You should be more concerned with your own team’s rotation collapsing. I’d also love to know what Gil (T) is supposed to mean?
Obvious reference.
No, it actually isn’t. Care to fill me in Riddler?
Karma for trying to buy a WS.
lol you’re a loser
Losersteve
Idiotic comment
Agreed. Karma isn’t a thing.
This hurts. Schmidt was coming into his own this year with a spot in the regular rotation. Hope he heals soon and well.
What you guys need to understand is that in 2024 if your team is going to make a deep playoff run it’s almost necessary for a pitcher to go on the IL just to simply get a little break. Now if he’s out more than a month it’s a problem but as long as it’s a short term thing this is no big deal at all. It’s a good thing in fact.
Interesting take.
bummed but not surprised. in today’s game it’s rare for any team to go 2 months without an injury to a starter
NO politics just sports. Who gives a crap about Trump. That being said the Yanks Rotation has to be careful as most of these pitchers really havent been great for full soeasons.