The New York Yankees have a need for pitching.
This wasn’t the case, say, a month ago, when Frankie Montas was expected to be the fifth starter and Nestor Cortes Jr. was 100 percent healthy.
But injuries happen, and now the Yankees are forced to use Domingo German or Clarke Schmidt in the rotation.
That may not necessarily be a bad thing, though, especially if Schmidt is the one who wins the fifth starter job.
German is more proven and might have a higher floor.
However, Schmidt might be the better pitcher, and has a new weapon to help him navigate through opposing lineups.
“Clarke Schmidt believes his new cutter is a difference-maker – tough on lefties & effective on righties too,” Yankees insider Bryan Hoch tweeted.
Clarke Schmidt believes his new cutter is a difference-maker – tough on lefties & effective on righties too. pic.twitter.com/GcikQ5tuVJ
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) February 26, 2023
Schmidt had a 3.12 ERA in 57.2 innings last season.
He had sort of a hybrid role: he started three games and entered from the bullpen in 26.
This time, he might be required in the rotation given the injury landscape on the Yankees.
As a result, he worked in the offseason to give himself an important pitch.
His breaking pitches are excellent, but his fastball is mediocre at best.
That’s why the addition of the cutter was a much-needed one: it gives him a quality fast pitch to complement his excellent slider and curveball.
Breaking balls have taken a huge role in baseball in recent seasons, but the fastball remains the most important pitch in the repertoire.
Those who don’t have a good heater often struggle with consistency.
If Schmidt can prove the cutter is a legit MLB-caliber pitch, it might be the missing ingredient for a breakout in 2023.
NEXT: The Yankees Are Giving A Top Prospect Some Early Chances
