The Yankees are already down their ace starting pitcher for the entire season, with Gerrit Cole having undergone Tommy John surgery.
But injuries come with the territory for pitchers, and New York has already encountered another concern.
Clarke Schmidt, who was going to be a playing-time beneficiary of Cole’s injury, won’t make his scheduled Spring Training start on Monday. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Schmidt has soreness in his pitching shoulder.
In addition to Cole, the Yankees are also missing young phenom Luis Gil for multiple months with a right lat strain.
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Schmidt already had back stiffness this spring, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, which had limited him to 1.2 innings this spring in just one outing.
The Yankees initially moved Schmidt’s start back from Sunday to Monday, and now his return to the mound is unknown.
If Schmidt can’t go to open the regular season, it’s likely that one of Will Warren, Carlos Carrasco or Cam Schlittler will snag a rotation spot.
It’s a bad spot for the Yankees just days after GM Brian Cashman said they couldn’t afford to take “any more hits” in the starting rotation. Looks like he should’ve called jinx.
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