“It’s a big step in the right direction” - Clarke Schmidt breaks down his dominant shutout innings as Yankees defeat Rays

New York Yankees in-field pitcher Clarke Schmidt came to the Tropicana field with one agenda on his mind, which was to dominate. And dominate he did, as he picked up the fourth win of his 2024 campaign with the Bombers.

New York won the low-scoring contest 2-0 against the Rays on Friday night to take a 1-0 lead in a three-game regular season series.

In a postgame interview, Clarke Schmidt gave his take on what worked well for him on the night and his consistency this season for the Yankees. Reflecting on the first time pitching into the seventh inning this season, Schmidt said:

"I think it's an uncharted territory, finally to be able to get there tonight and obviously it is a big talking point. So, I try to block out the noise and not worry about it but I know what I am capable of doing and I know I am very well capable of controlling my pitch count and going deeper into the games. It's a big step in the right direction."

Take a look at Clarke Schmidt's complete reflection on the game and his consistency so far on the mound this season here:

Schmidt has been mixing his pitching variations a lot better than last season, and his efforts off the diamond have showcased his dominance on the mound for the Yankees so far in 2024. He is 4-1 in eight starts this campaign, with a 2.95 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. He has struck out 47 batters in 42.2 innings pitched for the Bombers.

The Yankees have won seven of the eight games in which Clarke Schmidt started the contest this season. He was a first-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft and started his career as a relief pitcher for the Bombers.

This year, he has been honing his talent for commanding authority on the mound and is making a successful transition into the role of starting pitcher.

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Clarke Schmidt will make his next start against the Twins on May 15 at Target Field

Clarke Schmidt will make his next start against Joe Ryan and a resurgent unit of the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on May 15. Schmidt has made all his starts against American League teams so far in 2024 and has been consistent with his strike zone command.

It is a testament to Schmidt's tireless efforts this season as he is looking to make a permanent shift in the starting pitching role.

NY Yankees' pitching rotation took a hit after their ace Gerrit Cole landed on the IL even before the season commenced but so far, Marcus Stroman, Luis Gil, Schmidt, Nestor Cortes, and Carlos Rodon have been dominant on the mound for the Bombers.