Former Gamecock Clarke Schmidt excited but focused on task of starting must-win game for Yankees in World Series
The fate of the New York Yankees’ season is in Clarke Schmidt’s hands.
Sure, the Yankees are only down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in this year’s World Series, but a Game 3 loss on Monday would almost spell doom for New York. Only once has a team ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in any postseason series. Climbing back from a 2-0 hole has been much more doable with 15 teams overcoming the odds in postseason history.
So, a lot will be on the line for the Yankees when they take the field in the Bronx. And Schmidt, a former South Carolina Gamecock right-handed pitcher, has a chance to help the Bombers turn this series around.
“Being able to pitch the first game at home in a pivotal game, I’ve always dreamed of stuff like this,” Schmidt told reporters on Saturday. “It’s just been better than my dreams so far, like everything has kind of blown it out of the water. … I’m obviously very excited to get out there, but I know I have a job to do. We’re trying to win this World Series.”
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This will be Schmidt’s third start of the postseason for the Yankees. He’s been the usual Game 3 pitcher for the team in each of the last two series in the ALDS and ALCS. Now, he’ll get to take the ball for his first World Series outing.
“Obviously very excited and I’m trying to do my best to take as much in and trying to be as present as I possibly can,” he said. “There’ll probably be a time for reflection when this is all over, but for right now, just very focused on my job.”
So far this postseason, Schmidt has pitched 4.2 innings in each of his first two starts. He pitched well in those outings, but he wound up with a no-decision each time. In 9.1 innings pitched, he’s struck out six and walked three while giving up four runs.
Schmidt earned a spot in the Yankees’ starting rotation coming out of spring training this year and never relinquished it. He missed a handful of starts in the middle of the year with a right lat strain injury. But he returned to the rotation and September and has continued to pitch in big games ever since.
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On the year, Schmidt went 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA in the regular season. He struck out 93 and walked 30 in 85.1 innings pitched.
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There will surely be plenty of emotions for the 28-year-old as he makes his first playoff start at Yankee Stadium. Before Monday, he had only pitched on the road in the Divisional series and American League Championship Series.
But Schmidt believes those feelings could benefit him in what will be the biggest start of his professional career.
“Being able to use the adrenaline and kind of like the butterflies and the excitement, it can take you to another level,” Schmidt said. “… When you’re in these situations and you’re playing in these atmospheres, it just can take your game to another level, if you let it. Now it can work on the other side as well if you let it get to you. But I try to use it as a benefit and kind of try to take the adrenaline and everything that comes with it and bring my game to another level.”
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The Yankees and Dodgers will play Game 3 of the World Series on Monday in the Bronx. First pitch is at 8:08 p.m. on FOX.
“We know this is going to be a long series,” Schmidt said. “(The Dodgers) obviously got the first punch in, but we’ve got a long series to go, and we understood that this was going to be a tall task and and not just come in here and expect to win every single game. So, we’ll be ready.”
