The New York Yankees didn’t just need a bandage when Marcus Stroman went down with left knee inflammation—they needed a full-on tourniquet. Stroman, who was expected to provide stability near the middle of the rotation, instead unraveled early, posting a brutal 11.57 ERA over just 9.1 innings and three starts. The pain in his knee may have explained the drop-off, but regardless of the cause, the Yankees were left scrambling.

Clarke Schmidt’s Return Not the Solution—Yet

Enter Clarke Schmidt, who made his way back into the rotation just as Stroman hit the injured list. The hope was that the 29-year-old right-hander could give the Yankees a temporary shot in the arm. But through two starts, Schmidt hasn’t exactly been the remedy.

Monday night’s start against the Cleveland Guardians was a mess. Schmidt gave up seven hits, five earned runs, three walks, and two homers in just four innings. The outing ballooned his ERA to 7.45 across 9.2 innings on the year. He did manage to strike out seven, which shows his stuff can still generate swings and misses, but that was one of the only bright spots.

In the third inning, Cleveland blew things wide open when José Ramirez tagged Schmidt for a three-run bomb, followed by a solo homer from Kyle Manzardo. The Guardians added more damage in the sixth, and the Yankees suddenly found themselves down 6–0 before they finally started showing some offensive fight.

Trouble Brewing with Decreased Velocity

One of the biggest concerns so far is the noticeable dip in Schmidt’s fastball velocity. It’s hard to fool major league hitters when your heater doesn’t have its usual life, and that may be part of what’s allowing opponents to square him up early and often. His command has also been shaky, evidenced by three walks and multiple long counts against Cleveland.

To be fair, Schmidt is still ramping up. He’s fresh off the injured list and building his pitch count, which naturally comes with bumps in the road. But right now, instead of steadying the ship, he’s adding to the turbulence.

Yankees Need Answers—Fast

The Yankees have now seen two key rotation arms struggle out of the gate, and with Stroman sidelined and Schmidt working his way back into form, the pressure only intensifies. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon have carried heavy workloads early, but the Yankees can’t keep treading water on the back end.

They’ve seen flashes from Schmidt before, and there’s reason to believe he can turn things around as he builds rhythm and finds his command. But if he doesn’t, the Yankees may be forced to tap into their bullpen depth—or worse, scour the trade market much earlier than anticipated.