The first domino in the injury plague that has plagued the Yankees’ starting lineup this season fell when Clarke Schmidt was placed on the injured list over three months ago.
If it weren’t for his latissimus injury, the 28-year-old would be well on his way to a groundbreaking season.
Schmidt takes the mound on Friday against the Red Sox, just his second start since late May.
In the second of four games in the Bronx, he will face right-hander Tanner Houck.
Odds for Red Sox vs. Yankees
| team | Money line | Execute line | In total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Sox | +132 | +1.5 (-160) | o8.5 (-105) |
| Yankees | -156 | -1.5 (+132) | u8.5 (-115) |
Red Sox vs. Yankees player prop
Before his injury, Schmidt showed an impressive pitch mix, most notably a cutter with a swing-and-miss rate of over 32 percent.
With 10 strikeouts per nine innings in 2024, Schmidt is also the Yankees’ most effective starter when it comes to neutralizing left-handed batting.
The fifth-year veteran returned from rehab last week and showed no signs of slowing down – especially against left-handed hitters – and played a no-decision against the Cubs.
In the 4 ⅔ innings in which Aaron Boone used him, Schmidt remained scoreless and hit numerous cutters and curved balls that matched his spring speed.
Although his efforts resulted in only two strikeouts, he will be starting in a Red Sox lineup that includes six left-handers on Friday.
While Boston has developed a solid hitting profile thanks to the incredible power of Jarren Duran and Rafael Devers, a variety of other deficiencies have left them four games out of a wild-card spot.
Aside from the pitching issues, Boston’s offense has been erratic, swinging heavily, and getting out of control in crucial duels with pitchers, resulting in the third-most strikeouts in baseball.
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Schmidt has surpassed his 5.5 strikeout prop line for Friday in eight of 12 starts this season and in eight of his last nine starts before his injury, including five in a row.
He’s struck out over two more batters per nine innings at Yankee Stadium than he has on the road, so let’s hope for a strong return to the Bronx as Schmidt gears up for the postseason.
The game: Clarke Schmidt over 5.5 strikeouts (-158, FanDuel)
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Sean Treppedi rates NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He focuses primarily on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to minimize risk.
