The Yankees desperately need reinforcements for their starting pitchers, as their rotation is currently facing significant challenges. On Saturday, Carlos Rodón conceded four runs in just 3.1 innings against Detroit, indicating a worrying start.
In addition, Nestor Cortes has a 4.20 ERA for the season, while Marcus Stroman’s ERA is 4.01. Although both pitchers have shown improvement in their recent appearances, the Yankees need more consistency. The team hopes that the return of Clarke Schmidt will significantly strengthen their lineup.
Current challenges in the Yankees rotation
Schmidt, who has been sidelined for several months with a latissimus injury, is scheduled to participate in a live batting practice on Sunday. The 28-year-old pitcher has worked 62 innings this season, posting an impressive 9.94 strikeouts per nine innings, an 84.1% left-on-base rate, a 39% ground ball rate and a respectable 2.52 ERA.
Schmidt has shown remarkable development in his first season as a regular starter, posting a 4.64 ERA over 159 innings. This season, he has increasingly relied on his cutter, a pitch that has seen his opponents post a .372 slugging percentage.
Schmidt’s arsenal of pitches
Schmidt uses a variety of pitches including cutter, sweeper, sinker and knuckle curve. His sweeper is one of his most effective pitches, producing a .196 batting average, .283 slugging percentage and 11 strikeouts against six batters. His knuckle curve has also proven to be very successful, producing nine strikeouts with an 18.1% usage rate and a .146 batting average against him.
Strategic decisions for the Yankees
With Schmidt set to rejoin the rotation in a few weeks, the Yankees are optimistic he will be back in the fold by early September. This development will prompt manager Aaron Boone to make important decisions regarding the rotation, with Cortes or Stroman likely moving into bullpen roles. Boone’s decision will depend heavily on which pitcher gains momentum at the crucial time.
Additional resources and decisions
Meanwhile, Cody Poteet is also recovering from injury but is slightly behind schedule. Poteet had thrown 25 pitches in a live batting session on Saturday and held a 2.14 ERA over 21 innings before his triceps injury. Although he is expected to come out of the bullpen at first, Poteet could potentially start if the Yankees desperately need extra pitchers.
I am looking forward to
The next three weeks are crucial as they will shape the competition within the rotation going forward. Ideally, the Yankees would prefer a more stable and reliable starting lineup at this point in the season. Stroman in particular has lost significant velocity, raising doubts about his effectiveness and potential role in the playoffs, where he may only be used in an emergency.
