New York Yankees' Clarke Schmidt Hype Has Gotten Puzzling

The New York Yankees' starting rotation has certainly been hit by the injury bug this season, as both Max Fried and Carlos Rodon are sidelined with elbow issues.

Both pitchers are expected to return at some point during the second half, but after just watching Gerrit Cole miss the first couple of months of the campaign after under going Tommy John surgery last year, the injury situation has become very frustrating.

And lost in the midst of the injuries to Cole, Fried and Rodon is another arm who has been sidelined since midway through last year: Clarke Schmidt.

Schmidt underwent Tommy John surgery last July and has been slowly working his way back. He is expected to re-join the team this season, but with a healthy Yankees rotation consisting of Cam Schlittler, Cole, Fried, Rodon and Will Warren, plus Ryan Weathers as a depth option, Schmidt almost certainly isn't starting.

A trip to the bullpen seems inevitable for Schmidt, who was featured in a relief role during his early days in the big leagues.

There has actually been considerable hype around New York fans and pundits regarding Schmidt's impending return, and to be quite frank, I'm not sure I totally understand it.

We know Schmidt is a solid pitcher when he is right. He posted a 3.32 ERA and 1.093 WHIP in 14 starts last season. He also owns a respectable lifetime 3.82 ERA across 97 outings and 67 starts since entering the big leagues in 2020.

But can he actually make a significant impact this season?

Schmidt has pitched in a grand total of 30 games the last two years due to injuries, and in his one fully healthy campaign as a starter in 2023, he logged a 4.64 ERA and 1.352 WHIP.

It's hard to trust someone with that questionable resume, both from a health perspective and a consistency perspective.

Now, if Schmidt is good to go and won't find himself on the injured list again in 2026, then yes; he could be an asset. But I'm seeing many Yankees fans already convinced that the right-hander will comprise a pivotal addition down the stretch, and I'm not ready to go there just yet.

Schmidt's medical history is far too checkered for anyone to truly trust him, and while he's a solid talent, he also hasn't lived up to the expectations that were placed upon him when New York took him in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft.

Perhaps Schmidt really will establish himself as a critical piece of the Yankees' bullpen as the team makes its October push, but until we actually see the 30-year-old consistently delivering strong performances without hiccups, the jury is still out. 

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