NEW YORK - Clarke Schmidt returns to the Yankees' rotation this week, at a time of need for an inconsistent and injury-ravaged staff.
It's been Max Fried and the Irregulars though the first 15 games of the year, and the Yankees (8-7) are coming off Carlos Rodon's ill-timed home run ball Sunday - wrecking his start against the San Francisco Giants
"Just got to be better,'' said Rodon, following the Giants' 5-4 win at Yankee Stadium, where the Kansas City Royals arrive for three games beginning Monday night.
In the non-Fried division, Yankees' starters Carlos Carrasco, Will Warren, Marcus Stroman (now on the IL) and Rodon have combined to post a 6.59 ERA, averaging 4.2 innings over 12 starts.
Fried, signed as a free agent for $218 million, has posted a 1.56 ERA, averaging 5.2 innings across his three starts.
Clarke Schmidt returning to Yankees' rotation
Schmidt is listed as Wednesday night's starter, following Carrasco on Monday and Fried on Tuesday.
Expect Schmidt to be around the 75-pitch range for his 2025 debut, after being brought along gradually due to right shoulder fatigue in mid-March.
Schmidt says he's ready to go, and manager Aaron Boone feels like "he’s in a really good spot, too. His setbacks in spring training were pretty minor,'' which included a sore back in February.
"The biggest challenge for him is just getting him built up,'' said Boone. "Excited to get him back and know what he can mean to our staff.''
Jazz Chisholm Jr. on coping with April chill
After five straight games of frigid temperatures and wet weather, Yankees manager Aaron Boone anticipated that Sunday’s 54-degree start would feel “like Maui’’ in the Bronx.
Jazz Chisholm. Jr. agreed, saying he could’ve played Sunday in short sleeves.
“It’s been harsh for me; I’m from the Bahamas. I’m used to warm weather,’’ said Chisholm Jr., who felt last week’s three chilly days in Detroit followed by Friday and Saturday in New York was the limit.
“That’s probably the coldest I’ve ever played in, this past week especially,’’ said the former Miami Marlin, though “this is my job…in my contract, it doesn’t say I don’t play unless it’s 40 degrees.’’
Asked how he coped with the cold, Chisholm Jr. said he applied “a lot of Vaseline…a lot of hot stuff out of the training room, go in the hot tub before the game, layers of creams – it’s just a lot.’’
Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s home run snaps an 0-for-24
