The New York Yankees are doing great so far this 2024 season, but they will be tested even harder in the coming games following an injury to one of their key players.
The club has placed Clarke Schmidt on the 15-day injured list due to a right lat strain.
The listing is for the shortest medical bay but he is officially out indefinitely.
The right-handed pitcher suffered the injury in Sunday's loss against the San Diego Padres, according to New York Post reporter Greg Joyce.
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"I just felt physically a little - one of those outings where you don't feel like your best," Schmidt said.
The Yankees are currently leading the American League East at 38-19 and are first overall in the AL.
They have shown massive improvement from last season, when they did not even make it to the postseason.
Manager Aaron Boone said Schmidt will not throw for up to six weeks. Once he recovers, he will spend another four to six weeks getting into the right condition before being inserted back into the rotation.
The team is awaiting further assessment from the medical team as Schmidt is set to undergo an MRI this week.
The key to their good run is Schmidt, who has a 5-3 win-loss record and is ninth in the AL with a 2.52 ERA.
Before the injury, he pitched 60 2/3 innings in 11 starts with a 2.52 ERA and 1.14 WHIP and kept opponents to a .224/.304/.356 batting line.
Two players have been tapped as Schmidt's replacement.
Cody Poteet is set to start against San Francisco on Saturday, while Cody Morris was called up from the minor league's Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
How long will Clarke Schmidt be out?
A lat strain typically takes 15 days to fully recover, but depending on the severity of the injury, the recovery period could stretch for months (an entire season in the MLB).
The Yankees will have a proper reporting of Schmidt's availability once they know what Grade his lat strain is at.
Grade 1 strains need 2-3 weeks, while Grade 2 strains recovery goes on for a whole month.
Grade 3 strains are the worst ones since they often require surgery. However, at this level, the player can also opt not to undergo surgery, although it would mean a longer recovery period.
Gerrit Cole return on the horizon
The Yankees should try to hold it out, as help is already coming.
Star pitcher Gerrit Cole, who has yet to play this season, is set for a minor-league rehab stint, according to Boone.
The former AL Cy Young winner is dealing with right elbow discomfort that kept him out for the season's start.
He started throwing in the team's complex last week, and the team said he is still several weeks away from joining the rotation.
The Yankees are having a sensational May, losing just five games and yet to give up a series.
Next for them are the San Francisco Giants for a two-game series.
They will have one day off before embarking on a 13-day schedule.
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