Andres Chavez
The New York Yankees woke up on Friday with the best rotation in baseball, boasting a 2.14 ERA that is virtually half a run better than the second-placed Cleveland Guardians at 2.67. For a group that is missing Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt due to injury, that is absolutely magnificent.
Every Yankees starter to this point has been highly competitive. Max Fried has a 1.35 ERA, Cam Schlittler is at 1.62, Ryan Weathers is at 2.81, and Will Warren is sporting a 3.07 mark. Luis Gil will make his season debut on Friday for the Yankees, after battling some velocity issues in the spring and in his most recent minor league start.
Reinforcements Are On Their Way
Cole and Rodon should be back within the next few weeks, and Schmidt is an option for the summer. According to NY Post’s reporter Greg Joyce, Schmidt had a very positive day in rehab on Friday.
“Clarke Schmidt threw 10 fastballs off the mound today, his first time off the mound in his Tommy John rehab. Said everything has continued to feel good, hopes he might face hitters by June,” Joyce posted on X.
Tommy John rehab, for starters, is a marathon as opposed to a sprint. Things move at a slower pace, and it’s all about hitting milestones. Playing catch, increasing the distance, and throwing off a mound. Then, bullpens, live batting practices, and a long rehab assignment. It’s little by little, step by step.
Little By Little, Step By Step
The Yankees are making sure Schmidt hits every milestone before advancing in his rehab. Throwing from a mound, even if it was ‘just’ 10 pitches, is rather significant and proves everything is moving in the right direction.
The 30-year-old Schmidt pitched 78.2 innings last year, with a 3.32 ERA, when he started to feel discomfort in his elbow. He should be ready to help the Yankees at some point in the second half.
More about:New York Yankees
