The New York Yankees are facing a significant pitching crisis as injuries continue to plague their roster. Clarke Schmidt, a key starter, has been ruled out of the spring opener due to shoulder soreness, adding to the list of injured pitchers that includes Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil. Cole will miss the entire season after Tommy John surgery, while Gil is sidelined for at least the first month of the season due to a right lat strain. Pitching prospect Chase Hampton’s season was also cut short by Tommy John surgery. Despite these setbacks, the Yankees could look to the example of last year’s Los Angeles Dodgers, who won the World Series despite numerous injuries to their starting pitchers.
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The New York Yankees’ spring has been marred by a series of injuries, and their pitching staff is taking the brunt of the damage. The team has already lost key players like Giancarlo Stanton, the World Series home run hero, who is sidelined indefinitely due to elbow and calf injuries. However, the real crisis is unfolding in the Yankees’ rotation, with two of their top three starters already out of action.
On Sunday, the Yankees received more bad news as Clarke Schmidt, a 29-year-old right-hander and first-round draft pick in 2017, was ruled out of Monday’s spring opener due to shoulder soreness. Schmidt’s importance had grown after injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, two other crucial starters.
Gerrit Cole, who is entering the sixth season of his record nine-year, $324 million contract, will miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Cole felt discomfort in his elbow after his first spring training start. Meanwhile, Luis Gil, the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year, is also sidelined for at least the first month of the season due to a right lat strain. Gil was shut down on March 3 and will not be able to pitch for at least six weeks.
Adding to the Yankees’ woes, pitching prospect Chase Hampton, who underwent Tommy John surgery on Feb. 21, will not be available for emergency starts as initially expected. This leaves the Yankees with a significant void in their rotation.
Schmidt’s shoulder soreness is his second injury concern this spring, following a back issue that affected his throwing program in February. With less than two weeks to go before Opening Day, Schmidt’s availability for the start of the season remains uncertain. Schmidt is set to earn $3.6 million from the Yankees this year.
Despite these setbacks, veteran New York sports columnist Mike Lupica suggests that the Yankees should take inspiration from last year’s Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers won 98 games and the World Series despite injuries to four starting pitchers, including Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, who missed the entire season. Clayton Kershaw, a three-time National League Cy Young Award winner, was limited to just seven starts, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a $300 million Japanese import, made just 18 starts and won only seven games.
