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CLEVELAND – Max Fried flirted with a no-hitter on Sunday, and his stellar 1.42 ERA across five starts is just what the Yankees need in this Gerrit Cole-less season.
But Monday brought a fresh reminder of some Yankees’ rotation-depth concerns.
Before the Cleveland Guardians’ 6-4 victory Monday night, Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered that Marcus Stroman’s knee situation could take a while longer to resolve.
A few hours later, Clarke Schmidt – in just his second start this season - lasted just four innings at Progressive Field as he continues to build stamina and refine his command.
Still, the Yankees’ slugging ability can keep them in striking distance – nearly allowing them to come back Monday night from a six-run deficit.
Jasson Dominguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. belted late two-run homers, and suddenly Aaron Judge was batting as the tying run in the ninth.
Subbing the ninth for close Emmanuel Clase, who'd pitched the last three straight days - and ineffectively Sunday - Cade Smith got the save, striking out Judge to end it.
Ben Rice (elbow contusion) didn't start the last two games, but he grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and Boone expects Rice to return to Tuesday night's lineup.
After a delayed 2025 debut due to March shoulder fatigue, Schmidt is “definitely building up’’ pitch counts (80) and “trying to sharpen up and just get better each time.’’
Ultimately, none of the three walks Schmidt issued Monday would hurt him.
Still, “the walks are frustrating,’’ said Schmidt. “Beyond that, I felt like I made some good pitches,’’ and the 0-1 slider Jose Ramirez blasted for a three-run homer fell in the “tip your cap’’ category.
Schmidt tried to bury that pitch more down and in, but “he put a good swing on it,’’ said the right-hander, whose next delivery was a sinker Kyle Manzardo mashed to make it back-to-back homers.
In all, Schmidt yielded five runs on seven hits but had seven strikeouts and continues to feel healthy – a sign that he can get back to his breakthrough 2024 form (2.85 ERA in 16 starts).
But the Yankees starters’ collective ERA is 6.01 in 18 starts minus Fried’s contribution.
Either rookie Will Warren or veteran Carlos Carrasco would be in jeopardy of losing a rotation spot once Stroman returns, but he’s still experiencing knee discomfort since landing on the IL, April 12.
“There’s probably some nerve stuff in there that was irritating it a little bit,” Boone said of an injury that was originally thought to be a short-term situation.
“We’ll continue to work to try to get him physically where he needs to be and then hopefully start building him back up,’’ Boone said.
Meanwhile, Luis Gil (lat strain) is hoping to resume a throwing program by this weekend, and he probably won’t be in the rotation picture until late June or early July.
Awaiting his appeal on a one-game MLB suspension, Chisholm Jr. was in a 2-for-25 slide before crashing a two-run homer off reliever Paul Sewald in the eighth.
Before that Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams lasted 6.1 innings, escaped some early trouble and exited shortly after yielding Dominguez's second homer of the year.
"Very validating,'' Chisholm Jr. said of that swing, his seventh homer of the year - tying Judge for the club lead, though the captain might be owed one by MLB, following Sunday's fair-foul fiasco at Tampa.
But in the fourth inning, playing second base, Chisholm Jr. flinched as the barrel of Brayan Rocchio's broken bat flashed near him.
What might otherwise have been an inning-ending groundout resulted in an RBI single.
"I want to make every play out there for my (pitcher),'' said Chisholm Jr., but "at the same time, I don't want to die. You've got a sharp object coming your way.''
Chisholm Jr. said he's seen infielders hit by those jagged edges of broken bats; it happened to him while playing with the Miami Marlins, struck in the calf.
"Seeing that bat come at you, it startles you,'' said Boone, an ex-third baseman.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Clarke Schmidt is building up, but Yankees' rotation depth still an early season concern
Continue reading...
But Monday brought a fresh reminder of some Yankees’ rotation-depth concerns.
Before the Cleveland Guardians’ 6-4 victory Monday night, Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered that Marcus Stroman’s knee situation could take a while longer to resolve.
A few hours later, Clarke Schmidt – in just his second start this season - lasted just four innings at Progressive Field as he continues to build stamina and refine his command.
Still, the Yankees’ slugging ability can keep them in striking distance – nearly allowing them to come back Monday night from a six-run deficit.
Jasson Dominguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. belted late two-run homers, and suddenly Aaron Judge was batting as the tying run in the ninth.
Subbing the ninth for close Emmanuel Clase, who'd pitched the last three straight days - and ineffectively Sunday - Cade Smith got the save, striking out Judge to end it.
Ben Rice (elbow contusion) didn't start the last two games, but he grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and Boone expects Rice to return to Tuesday night's lineup.
Yankees' Clarke Schmidt building up, sharpening command
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After a delayed 2025 debut due to March shoulder fatigue, Schmidt is “definitely building up’’ pitch counts (80) and “trying to sharpen up and just get better each time.’’
Ultimately, none of the three walks Schmidt issued Monday would hurt him.
Still, “the walks are frustrating,’’ said Schmidt. “Beyond that, I felt like I made some good pitches,’’ and the 0-1 slider Jose Ramirez blasted for a three-run homer fell in the “tip your cap’’ category.
Schmidt tried to bury that pitch more down and in, but “he put a good swing on it,’’ said the right-hander, whose next delivery was a sinker Kyle Manzardo mashed to make it back-to-back homers.
In all, Schmidt yielded five runs on seven hits but had seven strikeouts and continues to feel healthy – a sign that he can get back to his breakthrough 2024 form (2.85 ERA in 16 starts).
But the Yankees starters’ collective ERA is 6.01 in 18 starts minus Fried’s contribution.
Yankees' rotation depth concerns
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Either rookie Will Warren or veteran Carlos Carrasco would be in jeopardy of losing a rotation spot once Stroman returns, but he’s still experiencing knee discomfort since landing on the IL, April 12.
“There’s probably some nerve stuff in there that was irritating it a little bit,” Boone said of an injury that was originally thought to be a short-term situation.
“We’ll continue to work to try to get him physically where he needs to be and then hopefully start building him back up,’’ Boone said.
Meanwhile, Luis Gil (lat strain) is hoping to resume a throwing program by this weekend, and he probably won’t be in the rotation picture until late June or early July.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s scary moment in the field
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Awaiting his appeal on a one-game MLB suspension, Chisholm Jr. was in a 2-for-25 slide before crashing a two-run homer off reliever Paul Sewald in the eighth.
Before that Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams lasted 6.1 innings, escaped some early trouble and exited shortly after yielding Dominguez's second homer of the year.
"Very validating,'' Chisholm Jr. said of that swing, his seventh homer of the year - tying Judge for the club lead, though the captain might be owed one by MLB, following Sunday's fair-foul fiasco at Tampa.
But in the fourth inning, playing second base, Chisholm Jr. flinched as the barrel of Brayan Rocchio's broken bat flashed near him.
What might otherwise have been an inning-ending groundout resulted in an RBI single.
"I want to make every play out there for my (pitcher),'' said Chisholm Jr., but "at the same time, I don't want to die. You've got a sharp object coming your way.''
Chisholm Jr. said he's seen infielders hit by those jagged edges of broken bats; it happened to him while playing with the Miami Marlins, struck in the calf.
"Seeing that bat come at you, it startles you,'' said Boone, an ex-third baseman.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Clarke Schmidt is building up, but Yankees' rotation depth still an early season concern
Continue reading...
