Clarke Schmidt’s outing against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday was a tale of two halves. For the first five innings, he cruised through the A’s lineup, scattering two hits and flashing the growth that surfaced last year and carried over into his early-season outings. However, the sixth inning arrived, and Schmidt’s command faltered. He hit Ryan Noda, allowed a double to Tyler Nevin, and then surrendered a home run to Brent Rooker. His bid to throw six full innings for the first time in 2024 fell apart in a span of four A’s batters.
Despite the unraveling, Schmidt still picked up the win for the Yankees (17-8) during their 7-3 victory at Yankee Stadium. However, the sixth-inning struggles captured the next hurdle for the 28-year-old to overcome. He entered his fifth start of the year with a 54.00 ERA in the sixth inning, and that only got worse as he allowed three runs while recording just a single out.
“Stuff-wise, nothing fell off,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Just a little bit of execution there and maybe some pitch selection.”
Schmidt acknowledged that pitch selection could be an issue, but he also emphasized the importance of staying within himself and not trying to over-execute. He notched a 30th consecutive start in which he allowed three runs or fewer, tying Blake Snell for the second-most in MLB since the start of last season and moving within two of Sonny Gray. He also struck out at least six batters for the third consecutive outing.
The Yankees have been impressed with Schmidt’s emergence as a dependable starter. Last year, he added a cutter to his mix, and his flashes of brilliance have become more consistent. Extending those outings deeper into games will only help add to his revived trajectory.
“Obviously, leaves a sour taste in your mouth,” Schmidt said, “and that’s baseball.”
Despite the sixth-inning struggles, Schmidt remains a valuable asset to the Yankees’ rotation. He has shown the ability to miss bats and limit damage, and he has the potential to be a key contributor for the team as they look to contend for a World Series title.
