The Yankees’ rotation took a hit on Thursday, as the team placed Clarke Schmidt on the 15-day injured list with a right lat strain.
The move is retroactive to May 27. The Yankees recalled Cody Morris in Schmidt’s place.
While the injury may have come as a surprise to some, Schmidt noted that he felt a bit off in his last start on May 26. Schmidt held the Padres to two runs (one earned), walked three and struck out six that day.
“I just felt physically a little – one of those outings where you don’t feel like your best,” Schmidt said after the loss. “So very happy with being able to put up a lot of zeros with the way I felt today. Just one of those outings where you don’t exactly feel 100%, but definitely happy with being able to put up some zeros.”
Schmidt has been the Yankees’ second-best starter this year, recording a 2.52 ERA over 11 starts in his second season as a full-time member of the rotation. The 28-year-old has totaled 60.2 innings this season after shooting past his career-high with 159 last year.
Luis Gil (1.99) was the only Yankee starter with a better ERA prior to Thursday’s game against the Angels.
Still, there have been some questions about how the Yankees will handle Gil once Gerrit Cole returns from elbow inflammation, which is still a few weeks away from happening. Gil has been dominant, but he’s coming off Tommy John surgery and has thrown just 93 innings since 2022.
That includes 63.1 innings this season.
The Yankees did not announce a grade for Schmidt’s strain; a source told the Daily News that the righty was still waiting on a second opinion at the time of publication. Grade 1 strains typically need 2-3 weeks for recovery time. Grade 2 strains take at least a month, while Grade 3 strains take longer and can require surgery.
The potential for injury is a large reason why Aaron Boone has declined to say what the Yankees’ plans are for Gil once Cole comes back.
“It’s three, four, five, six weeks away,” Boone said on May 23. “If at that point we’re in this position, then that’s a good thing. We’ll do what we have to do that we think is best for the team and everyone involved.
“In the baseball calendar, that’s still lightyears away in a lot of ways.”
With Schmidt out for at least a little while and Cole still waiting to start a rehab assignment, the Yankees now need a starter, if only for the time being.
Morris has operated as one in the past, but he’s only made one start this season at Triple-A. He’s pitched in 13 total games, recording a 2.82 ERA. He’ll may only stick around until Schmidt’s next turn in the rotation, at which point the Yankees could call up a starter.
Schmidt’s next start was scheduled for Saturday. Will Warren is lined up for that day as well, but the highly-touted prospect is not on the 40-man roster and has pitched poorly this season at Triple-A, recording an 8.53 ERA over 10 starts.
However, the Yankees’ options are limited, as Cody Poteet and Clayton Beeter are on the IL at Triple-A.
The Yankees could also go with a bullpen game or ask Luke Weaver to start, though he’s been excellent out of the bullpen.
