Yankees’ Schmidt battles elements and struggles in Yankees’ season closer
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Follow UsClarke Schmidt had an up-and-down outing in the Yankees’ 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The Yankees right-hander threw four innings, allowing four earned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out five. Despite his effort, Schmidt did not factor into the decision.
Schmidt started strong, breezing through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. After loading the bases with one out, Pittsburgh’s Joshua Palacios hit a two-run double, tying the game. The Yankees pitcher was lifted in the fifth after walking the leadoff batter, having thrown just 75 pitches—matching his season-low.
Even with his shortened outing, Schmidt capped off a strong season, particularly notable considering he missed over three months due to a lat injury. The 28-year-old finished with a career-best 2.85 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 93 strikeouts against 30 walks over 85.1 innings in 16 starts.
The game was played under tough conditions after a 91-minute rain delay. Wet weather persisted, making the field slick and causing safety concerns. Schmidt expressed surprise the game continued, given the potential injury risk ahead of the playoffs. He noted even basic plays, such as running to first base, were risky due to the slippery surface.
“We were very surprised we were trying to grind that one out,” the Yankees rotation arm told after the win. “We have playoffs coming up, and it’s a high injury risk. Even guys running to first base were falling over. But happy to make it through healthy, and everyone else made it through healthy, and we came away with the win.”
Schmidt also shared that Pirates starter Bailey Falter had voiced concerns about playing in the conditions during their warm-ups. Throughout the game, the grounds crew repeatedly applied dry dirt to maintain the mound, infield, and home plate area between innings.
With a postseason starting spot potentially on the line against Luis Gil, Schmidt admitted he held back to avoid injury. He struggled with his footing on the mound and with gripping the ball, noting even the rosin bag became too damp to use effectively.
While the weather posed difficulties, Schmidt also acknowledged his own shortcomings, saying his execution wasn’t sharp, regardless of the conditions.
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