Osborn says Schmidt to start Game 1 of ELDS
TRENTON >> Clarke Schmidt has pitched so well since arriving in Double-A that he’ll get the ball for Game 1 of the Thunder’s Eastern League Division Series, manager Patrick Osborn said on Friday.
Rated as the Yankees’ No. 5 prospect, Schmidt is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts since his promotion from High-A Tampa.
Schmidt has tossed 13.2 scoreless innings over his last two starts, limiting the opposition to five hits, while striking out 14 without a walk.
Rony Garcia, who started Friday night’s game against Reading, will start Game 2.
“Those two have earned the right to pitch in those first two games with their performance here,” Osborn said.
The first-year skipper added that Schmidt and Garcia have both made starts at the hitter-friendly FirstEnergy Stadium.
Garcia tossed eight shutout innings there in his first outing after the All-Star break.
“Any time you are familiar with your surroundings, I don’t know if it helps performance-wise, but there’s peace of mind and you’re comfortable going into a stadium and a mound,” Osborn said. “I think that plays a part in terms of preparation.”
Miguel Yajure, who debuted with 5.1 innings of onerun ball on Aug. 26, is slated to start Game 3 at Arm & Hammer Park.
The 21-year-old righthander earned a promotion after posting an 8-6 mark with a 2.26 ERA with the Tarpons.
“He could probably throw those first two games if we wanted to, but I like where we are with the first three,” Osborn said. “After that we’ll kind of make some decisions if it goes to Games 4 and 5.”
***
Pitchers Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino seemed destined to make rehab outings in Trenton this weekend until the Yankees opted to send them to Scranton instead.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone, speaking to the New York media, cited the mound conditions in Trenton as a reason for the switch. “Feel better about that mound,” Boone told the New York Post.
“There were some rumors floating around that they would come here and it never seemed to come together,” Osborn said. “I don’t know if there was work done behind the scenes or if they like the idea of being in Scranton better. I know Aaron did mention the mound situation here. Our guys have pitched on it all year and there were some issues early on in the year, but those were fixed.
“It must have been a comfort thing or logistics thing. It would have been nice to have them, and it would have been fun to have them to complete the season, but whatever the reason was, we’ll live with and our guys will get their work.”
***
Osborn thought if Chris Gittens could stay healthy all season, his numbers would be there.
Not only did Gittens remain on the field, he won the EL Most Valuable Player award to join Brandon Laird in 2010 as the only Thunder players to receive the honor.
Gittens leads the EL in home runs (22), RBIs (75), OBP (.388), SLG (.492) and OPS (.881).
“He’s had a monster year,” Osborn said. “It’s something to be said to be the MVP of a Double-A league. That’s something he’s going to be able to hold onto the rest of his life. The company he’s in now of the guys who have come through this league, it’s a special time in his life.”
Past EL MVP’s to name a few include Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell (New Britain) and Vladimir Guerrero (Harrisburg), All-Stars Ryan Howard (Reading), Carlos Santana (Akron) and Victor Martinez (Akron).
***
The Florida State League canceled the remainder of its season due to the threat of Hurricane Dorian.
The Yankees moved four players from Tampa to Trenton, who are ready to go on the active roster if needed.
Those players are INF Oswaldo Cabrera, INF Diego Castillo, OF Alexander Palma and RHP Braden Bristo.