Yankees' Clarke Schmidt scratched from Monday's start with sore shoulder

TAMPA, Fla. — Speaking early last week after the announcement that Gerrit Cole would undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the obvious about the club’s starters.

“We’ve taken a number of hits in the starting rotation,” he said. “We certainly can’t afford to take too many more.”

The Yankees took another one Sunday, though it’s too early to say just how significant a hit it is or if it is one at all.

Clarke Schmidt, scheduled to start Monday afternoon’s game in Dunedin against the Blue Jays, was scratched because he was feeling “a little sore in recovering” from his previous start last Tuesday against the Orioles.

Aaron Boone, speaking after the Yankees’ 4-3 split-squad loss to the Pirates at Steinbrenner Field, said the soreness is in Schmidt’s shoulder area. That is not a good sign for a pitcher. But the fact that Schmidt was not being sent for testing and is slated to throw a bullpen session on Monday does provide hope for the Yankees that they’re not about to lose another rotation member. In addition to Cole, Luis Gil, the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year, will miss at least three months with a high-grade lat strain.

“He’s going to throw a bullpen [Monday], then we’ll hopefully insert [him into the rotation] from there,” Boone said.

Boone added that Schmidt, brought along more slowly than the other starting pitchers in camp from the start of spring training because of a back issue, wasn’t “bouncing back” as well as he hoped after his 38-pitch outing against the Orioles.

“I think we’re just being cautious with it, but he’s not making his start, so there’s at least that concern,” Boone said. “Hopefully [he] recovers and there’s no issues with the [bullpen session] and we insert him back in a couple days.”

Even before the injuries to Gil and Cole, the Yankees were concerned about the organization’s starting pitching depth, the reason they’ve been looking at the market to acquire some. That includes showing an interest in Padres righthander Dylan Cease, a free agent after this season whom San Diego is open to dealing.