South Carolina baseball alum Clarke Schmidt is slated to return from injury this weekend as he rejoins the New York Yankees rotation ahead of the playoffs.
Former South Carolina baseball star Clarke Schmidt, who has been pitching for the New York Yankees, was enjoying one of the top seasons among American League pitchers before suffering a right lat strain two months into the 2024 season.
Lat injuries are notoriously slow to heal for pitchers, and Schmidt has been on the injured list for over three months. However, reports from New York, including one by The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, indicate that Schmidt is set to come off the IL and rejoin the Yankees’ rotation this weekend. He is expected to pitch on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Schmidt will aim to resume his impressive performance from before his injury. In each of his starts this season, as well as in the last two of the 2023 campaign, Schmidt has allowed three runs or fewer, consistently keeping his team in contention. It’s no surprise the Yankees are 10-3 in those games.
As Schmidt seeks to return to his pre-injury form, he will be crucial for the Yankees’ final push in the American League East, where they currently trail the Baltimore Orioles by half a game but lead the American League Wild Card race comfortably.
Despite being a regular playoff contender, Schmidt has yet to make a postseason start, though he has made three relief appearances. If his return goes smoothly, he is expected to be a key part of the starting rotation for Aaron Boone’s team this year.
South Carolina baseball fans interested in watching Schmidt’s return can catch the Yankees-Cubs game at 2:20 PM ET on Saturday, broadcast on the YES Network and MLBTV.
