Clarke Schmidt took a step Saturday toward returning to the Yankees rotation, throwing his first bullpen session since suffering a right lat strain nearly two months ago.
The right-hander took the mound in the Yankee Stadium bullpen before Saturday’s 9-1 loss to the Rays, then hailed the session a success afterward.
“It was great,” Schmidt said on YES Network’s pregame show. “It felt like it’s been a long time coming, and very thankful to be able to get back out on the mound. Honestly, [it went] probably better than anticipated as far as how I felt, and stuff-wise, was really sharp. It’s good to kind of start this next progression.”
Schmidt had said Friday that he planned to throw fewer than 20 pitches on Saturday before he returns to the mound for a “full blown” bullpen session on Tuesday. He said he expected to throw from flat ground between those sessions, too.
The 28-year-old was in the midst of a breakout season before he went down with the lat strain in late May, having pitched to a 5-3 record and a 2.52 ERA through his first 11 starts.
“I think we’re on a really good pace right now,” Schmidt told YES, declining to give a timeline for his return but saying he believes he is ahead of schedule. “I’m definitely very confident that I’ll be back, fully built up, being able to pitch in the big leagues, back here soon.”
He expects to total three or four bullpen sessions before advancing to live work.
“True to Clarke form, I asked how [Saturday’s session] went and he goes, ‘Pretty nasty,’” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Everything went well, so another good step for him.”
STANTON’S STATUS
A decision on Giancarlo Stanton’s return is growing closer.
The Yankees slugger said Saturday that he needs to stack “a few more days, good days together” in his recovery from a left hamstring strain before the team determines his next step.
“If I get a few good days this week, make a decision by the end of next week,” Stanton said.
The Yankees have not decided whether Stanton will require a minor-league rehab stint or go directly back to the big-league roster.
Stanton has resumed full baseball activities, Boone said Friday, with the manager adding the designated hitter is “getting to that point where he’s really close.”
The 34-year-old Stanton went on the injured list on June 23, a day after he suffered the strain while scoring from second base. At the time, Stanton said he expected to miss about a month.
Stanton, who has dealt with lower-body injuries throughout his Yankees tenure, is batting .246 with 18 home runs and 45 RBI in 69 games this season.
With News Wire Services
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