The New York Yankees have dealt with a significant setback as manager Aaron Boone announced that starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt will likely require Tommy John surgery. This decision comes after Schmidt was placed on the injured list with right forearm soreness, which began during his June 4 outing against the Cleveland Guardians. The injury has raised concerns about the Yankees’ starting rotation, which already faces challenges due to several key players being sidelined.
Clarke Schmidt, 29, has been a cornerstone of the Yankees’ pitching staff this season, delivering a 3.32 ERA in 14 games started and recently setting a franchise record with 2,8 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. However, the need for Tommy John surgery means he will miss the remainder of the season and likely all of next season, further compounding the team’s difficulties. Schmidt previously underwent the same procedure in May 2017, just a month before being selected by the Yankees in the first-round of the MLB Draft from South Carolina.
The Yankees are expected to call up Cam Schlittler to replace Schmidt in the rotation, according to a report from the New York Post. Schlittler has a 3.52 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) across Double-A and Triple-A this season. This move comes as the Yankees’ starting rotation continues to face uncertainty. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon form a formidable one-two punch, but the rest of the rotation consists of players with question marks, including Ryan Yarbrough, who is on the injured list with an oblique injury, and Luis Gil, who is still ramping up from a lat injury.
With the Yankees currently in a losing streak and having fallen out of first place for the first time since April, the team will look to bounce back when they face the New York Mets in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET. The challenges faced by the Yankees’ starting rotation underscore the ongoing struggles the team is experiencing, as they seek to regain their competitive edge in the AL East.