The New York Yankees are dealing with yet another setback in their starting rotation, as right-hander Clarke Schmidt was scratched from his scheduled Grapefruit League start on Monday due to shoulder soreness. Manager Aaron Boone revealed that Schmidt’s shoulder “is not bouncing back as well as he wanted to” and that the team is opting for caution rather than risk further complications.
With an already depleted pitching staff, the Yankees are treading carefully. Boone noted that Schmidt will not undergo any immediate testing but will instead throw a bullpen session Monday rather than making the trip to Dunedin, Florida, to face the Toronto Blue Jays.
“With some of the attrition we’ve had, it’s not something we want to push,” Boone said. “Hopefully, he recovers, has no issues with the ‘pen [session], and then we’ll insert him back in a couple of days.”
Yankees rotation continues to take hit after hit
This marks the second injury concern for Schmidt this spring. The 29-year-old was already dealing with a back issue earlier in camp, delaying his Grapefruit League debut until March 11. He struggled in that start, allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Orioles. Despite this, the Yankees had planned to ease him into the regular season, targeting April 3 against the Diamondbacks for his first official start.
Schmidt’s situation adds to the Yankees’ growing list of pitching concerns. Ace Gerrit Cole is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is sidelined with a significant lat strain that will keep him out for at least three months. Additionally, JT Brubaker is recovering from rib fractures, further limiting New York’s starting depth.
“We’ve taken a number of hits in the starting rotation,” general manager Brian Cashman said last week. “We certainly can’t afford to take too many more.”
The Yankees had already been planning to hold Schmidt back for the sixth game of the season, given the team’s off-days on March 28 and 31. However, if his shoulder issue lingers, it could force him onto the injured list, leaving the Yankees scrambling for options.
At present, Carlos Rodón and Max Fried are confirmed as the Yankees’ first two starters, with Marcus Stroman expected to follow. The competition for the final rotation spots now appears to be between Will Warren, Carlos Carrasco, and Allan Winans. If Schmidt cannot start the season healthy, both Warren and Carrasco could find themselves in the rotation by default, with Brent Headrick likely serving as the next-man-up for depth.
Schmidt missed significant time in 2024 due to a lat strain but was impressive when healthy, posting a 2.85 ERA over 16 starts. However, his limited workload (85 1/3 innings) and struggles in the postseason, where he recorded a 5.25 ERA in three starts, leave questions about his durability.
The Yankees are hopeful that Schmidt’s shoulder soreness is just a minor setback, but with their current injury woes, they can ill afford another significant absence in their rotation. The results of his bullpen session will determine the next steps, but for now, New York remains in wait-and-see mode, hoping for better news in the coming days.
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