New York Yankees: Clarke Schmidt expected to make first MLB start on Sunday

New York Yankees, Clarke Schmidt
USA Today

Reports indicate that Clarke Schmidt will make his first New York Yankees start on Sunday against the Miami Marlins. Schmidt, 24, has made two major league appearances out of the bullpen, but has yet to start a game. He has a 7.71 ERA in 2.1 innings.

The hard-throwing right-hander from the University of South Carolina was drafted by the Yankees in the first round of the 2017 draft. It wasn’t until 2018 where he made his professional debut, beginning a quick rise to the majors. His first season saw him stay in rookie ball and low-A, pitching to a tune of a 3.09 ERA across three levels.

2019 saw him make appearances in both A and AA, but never saw AAA. He had a 3.47 ERA across three levels, impressing the Yankees with his velocity and strikeout numbers. He struck out 102 batters in just 90.2 innings, and sits in the mid-90s on the radar.

Schmidt impressed during the shortened spring training, and was invited to “summer camp” once the season commenced. He impressed again there, but was sent to the alternate site in Scranton to continue training. After staying in Scranton for nearly a month and a half, he made his major league debut on September 4th, out of the bullpen.

The Yankees have tasked Schmidt with starting the final game of the regular season, which will likely be a meaningless game for the team. They are poised for the five-seed, as Tampa Bay has clinched their first division in 10 years.

Additionally, Deivi Garcia is likely to start on Saturday, per Aaron Boone. Garcia has a 2-2 record with a 4.88 ERA in five starts. Like on Sunday, Saturday’s game is expected to essentially be meaningless for the Yankees.