“Clarke Schmidt: The Yankees’ Secret Weapon in Rotation Crisis?”
Gerrit Cole — indisputable ace, Cy Young winner, possible future Hall of Famer — has also functioned as something of an extra pitching coach for the Yankees. That is particularly true for Schmidt, with whom Cole maintains a pseudo-big brother, little brother relationship. Schmidt, 29, has always been an eager learner and Cole, 35, a willing teacher.
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But this season, Cole’s and Schmidt’s mentor-mentee dynamic has entered a new chapter. Cole, long the rock of this Yankees rotation, is out for the season after undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery in March. Schmidt, coming off a spectacular though injury-limited 2024 season, is suddenly being counted on to fill some enormous shoes. Cole, in the early stages of his recovery, has hardly been seen at Yankee Stadium since Opening Day.
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