It’s time for the Yankees to finally call up Clarke Schmidt
The Yankees have some logical reasons to keep Clarke Schmidt out of the major leagues this year, but his upside is too great for the front office to ignore.
Leaving Clarke Schmidt at the team’s alternate facility makes a lot of fiscal sense for the Yankees. Unfortunately, it may be costing the team wins on the actual field of play.
The front office’s decision to bring up Albert Abreu instead of Schmidt to serve as the team’s 29th player for Saturday’s doubleheader against the Rays certainly raised some eyebrows from Yankees fans anxious to see their top prospect make it to the majors. Schmidt was clearly the superior pitcher in the minor leagues last season and during the team’s preseason camp. Abreu has talent, but he lacks the polish that makes Schmidt such an intriguing immediate option for Aaron Boone.
Of course, Abreu’s big advantage is that he’s already on the team’s 40-man roster. The same cannot be said for Schmidt. Cashman and his front office would have to let go of someone they believe to be a valuable player to pave the way for Schmidt’s promotion. That’s one big reason why the team continues to leave their talented right-hander languishing in Scranton.
The Yankees have one major, non-baseball reason for not calling up Clark Schmidt
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The bigger reason is more of a financial issue for the Yankees. The team doesn’t want to bring Schmidt up in 2020 because that will start his service clock. To put it bluntly, that makes it more difficult for the team to control him moving forward. The Yankees see Schmidt as an important part of their starting rotation for years to come. Cashman understandably wants to put off paying him a big free agency contract as long as possible.
The front office difficulties of calling Schmidt up to the majors are currently overshadowing what’s best for Boone’s pitching staff. At the very least, Schmidt is a superior option to Abreu if the Yankees are forced to call on an extra pitcher in the immediate future.
More importantly, Schmidt has a credible chance to provide the team’s starting rotation an immediate upgrade. James Paxton has struggled to find his trademark velocity in his two starts on the season and has been battered as a result. JA Happ has looked even worse due to his struggles with command. His fringy arsenal of pitches cannot get quality hitters out unless he commands them to perfection. Both pitchers have struggled mightily in the early going.
Happ’s ineffectiveness, in particular, is the biggest reason why Schmidt should be given an opportunity to make his impact felt in the Bronx. He might struggle to make an immediate adjustment to the majors, but he’s got the upside of a pitcher who can help New York in the postseason. It’s hard to imagine Happ progressing to that point in 2020 or at any point in the future.
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At some point, the Yankees need to stop worrying about saving a few million dollars. The time is right to give Schmidt his chance to positively impact Boone’s rotation. Playing it safe with a top prospect is understandable, but it’s time for Cashman to give his 24-year-old right-hander the opportunity to fulfill his potential.