An elbow injury derailed Schmidt’s season in 2021, which slowed his development and path to pitching in the major leagues on a regular basis.
In his latest performance, Schmidt relieved ace Gerrit Cole, who exited after just 1.2 innings on Tuesday night, and shut down the Detroit Tigers across 3.1 scoreless innings in the Yankees’ 4-2 win.
To be able to get my first career win here is a very, very special moment, something I don’t take lightly.
Schmidt’s pitch selection has been interesting throughout the early portion of the year, relying on his slider against right-handed batters when facing lefties, per Baseball Savant.
Schmidt has been reliable across his first three appearances, which makes him a valuable weapon in long relief out of the Yankees’ bullpen.
If he can sustain this success, it will only open the door for larger opportunities, and it appears to be trending in this direction for Schmidt.