Title: Clarke Schmidt’s Stellar Performance Boosts Yankees in Win Against White Sox
Subtitle: Schmidt’s consistent form provides much-needed stability to the Yankees’ shaky rotation
Date: [Current Date]
CHICAGO — The New York Yankees’ starting rotation faced significant adversity recently, but right-hander Clarke Schmidt has emerged as a reliable force, delivering standout performances when they need him the most.
“Clarke Schmidt has really come of age here over the last few months,” acknowledged Yankees manager Aaron Boone on Monday.
Schmidt has been a consistent presence in the Yankees’ rotation and continued to impress in Tuesday’s 7-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Over 5 1/3 innings, he allowed just one run, a solo home run by Luis Robert Jr., while limiting the White Sox to four hits. Schmidt struck out seven batters and only walked one.
This outing marked the 14th consecutive start in which Schmidt has allowed three runs or fewer, emphasizing his consistency and reliability on the mound.
“I think you can say he’s been one of the better pitchers in the league for probably the last two, three months,” noted Boone. After facing initial challenges at the start of the season, Schmidt has shown remarkable consistency, putting the Yankees in a strong position.
Though Schmidt initially struggled this season, showcasing a 6.30 ERA in nine starts and failing to pitch more than five innings in six of those outings, he turned things around in May and has been on an impressive run ever since.
As of Tuesday, Schmidt boasted a 3.23 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) since May 19. This performance placed him in a tie for 18th in baseball among pitchers with a minimum of 60 innings, putting him on par with notable names such as Astros’ ace Framber Valdez.
Schmidt’s presence has proven invaluable for a Yankees rotation that has faced various injury setbacks this season. Carlos Rodón began the season on the injured list, made his debut in July, and recently returned to the IL with a left hamstring strain. Nestor Cortes spent almost two months on the IL with a rotator cuff strain and only recently made his comeback. Domingo Germán also went on the restricted list last week.
“He’s been, after Gerrit [Cole], that guy we’ve been able to kind of hang our hat on,” Boone acknowledged, highlighting Schmidt’s vital role within the team.
While Schmidt had a successful 2022 season primarily spent in the bullpen, ending with a 3.12 ERA in 29 appearances, including three starts, his transition to the full-time rotation has presented its own challenges. Despite struggling early on in 2023, Schmidt’s unwavering confidence and determination have enabled him to overcome adversity and find success.
“It’s baseball, and it’s inevitable that you’re going to face adversity. Sometimes, it’s worse than others. The way that you kind of handle adversity in this game tells you a lot about yourself,” remarked Schmidt. He credited putting in the work and trusting in his abilities for his eventual turnaround, which propelled him to a series of impressive performances.
In Tuesday’s game, Schmidt dominated on the mound, not allowing a hit until Robert’s fourth-inning homer. He struck out six White Sox hitters in the first three innings. The Yankees’ lineup responded promptly, with a four-run fourth inning that included key hits from Giancarlo Stanton, Billy McKinney, and Isiah-Kiner Falefa.
Kyle Higashioka and Aaron Judge later added home runs in the eighth inning to secure the victory. The win provided a much-needed boost for the Yankees, who had been struggling offensively in recent games.
With postseason aspirations in mind, each win becomes crucial for the Yankees. Despite a rollercoaster stretch over the past week, they currently reside 4 1/2 games out of an AL Wild Card spot.
“It’s just a matter of getting the job done, which is the theme, if you will, going down the stretch,” commented outfielder Harrison Bader. “Any way we can do it, whether it’s by one run in the ninth or by 20, or what we saw tonight … Just getting the job done, getting wins, keeping it moving and moving forward. That’s all that matters to us.”
The Yankees will look to build on their recent success and continue to rely on Schmidt’s impressive form as they fight for a postseason berth.