CLEVELAND — For Game 3 of the ALCS on Thursday, Clark Schmidt will return to the mound where he suffered perhaps his heaviest defeat two years ago in the playoffs.
Breaking into an unfamiliar spot in the bottom of the ninth of Game 3 of the 2022 ALDS against Cleveland, Schmidt replaced Wandy Peralta with two on and one out and allowed a run-scoring single, a hit to a pitch and then — after a strikeout — a two-run, Oscar-winning single. Gonzalez.
The Yankees went on to win that Series, but the loss still stung for Schmidt, who started at Progressive Field looking to build on a 2-0 Series lead.
Clark Schmidt delivers the pitch during the Yankees’ Game 3 win over the Royals in the ALDS. Jason Szenes/New York Post
He will face left-hander Matt Boyd.
“Failing and not getting the job done is something you always remember,” Schmidt said of the ALDS defeat, when it was used because Aaron Boone said Clay Holmes was unavailable. “For me, that was a learning moment on how to make adjustments and do better. I’m grateful for that, but it was bad in the moment.”
The right-hander pitched well in Cleveland during the start of April this season, and made his first postseason start last week in Kansas City with a win — allowing two runs on four hits in 4 ²/₃ innings — so he wouldn’t be unfamiliar with the setup.
“I thought the game was on [2022] “The playoffs were my moment and things didn’t go my way,” Schmidt said. “And after that, I said, ‘I can’t wait to come back and have another chance.’ I got that in Kansas City and I want to do it again.” [Thursday]”.
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He pitched well during the regular season, but was sidelined for three months with a late-stage strain before returning to start five games in September. When healthy, the 28-year-old was as effective as any member of the rotation, pitching to a 2.85 ERA.
He will look to get the Yankees to a World Series game, but with the team’s attitude of nothing being locked down.
“Momentum can change very quickly,” Schmidt said of the series. “I feel like we’re looking like we’re in the locker room, to some extent. We still have work to do. We know we’re on the road in a tough environment… and we know the next two games are pivotal games, and we’re trying to get the job done as quickly as we can.”
