Yankees Injured Starter Shines in First Rehab Assignment in Minor Leagues

The New York Yankees are hoping to have one of their key rotation pieces back in the Majors soon.

Matthew Postins | Apr 6, 2025

Mar 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are three arms down when it comes to their starting rotation, but one of those arms is coming soon.

Clarke Schmidt appeared in his first rehab game of the season on Saturday at Double-A Somerset and walked away with an impressive outing as he continues to make progress toward a potential mid-April return.

With the Patriots, he threw 52 pitches, 37 of which were strikes. He went 3.1 innings and allowed just one hit. He gave up no runs and struck out seven.

This was his first game action of any kind since a spring training game on March 11. Afterward he was diagnosed with right rotator cuff tendinitis, which at the time was just the latest blow to the starting rotation.

Clarꓘe is bacꓘ.@Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt tossed a gem in his rehab assignment with Somerset.

3.1 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 7 K
Pitches (Strikes): 52 (37) pic.twitter.com/F2TyfjhaMS
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) April 5, 2025

New York is without ace Gerrit Cole, the 2023 American League Cy Young winner, for the rest of the season after he suffered an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. Last year’s American League rookie of the year, Luis Gil, is expected back in the second half of the season after he suffered a lat strain.

Assuming Schmidt bounces back as expected, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that the plan is for Schmidt to get one more rehab start next week and then be activated when New York faces the Kansas City Royals, with a start date of either April 15 or 16.

For now, the Yankees rotation is topped by Carlos Rodón. Left-hander Max Fried — who signed a $218 million deal with New York in the offseason — Marcus Stroman, Will Warren and Carlos Carrasco make up the rest of the rotation. When Schmidt returns, it’s not clear which starter will move out of the rotation.

The 29-year-old right-hander only made 16 starts last season, going 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA with 93 strikeouts and 30 walks in 85.1 innings.

He suffered a right lat strain in late May and spent the next three months on the injured list and on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues before returning on Sept. 7.

After breaking in as a reliever during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he emerged as a rotation option in 2023, as he went 9-9 with a 4.64 ERA in 33 games (32 starts). It was his first season as a full-time starter, and he struck out 149 and walked 46 in 159 innings.

He was the Yankees’ first-round pick (No. 16 overall) in the 2017 MLB draft out of Acworth, Ga. He played his college baseball at South Carolina.

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