MIAMI — Clarke Schmidt is one of the few pitchers who is excited to face the best lineup in baseball.
The Braves are a nightmare for opposing pitching staffs, but enemy territory will be home for the Yankees starter.
For the first time in his four-year career, Schmidt will pitch against the team he grew up rooting for — and for the first time pitch at Truist Park, about a 15-minute ride from his offseason house.
Schmidt, a native of Acworth, Ga., on the outskirts of Atlanta, will be staying at his own home and is expecting around 50 friends and family to watch him face off against Max Fried on Monday for the opener of a colossal series.
“I might be playing for free this week,” Schmidt said with a smile, referring to the tickets he has claimed. “It’ll be great to see everyone and catch up, and it’s very exciting.”
Less exciting is the opponent that awaits him.
The Braves, fresh off a statement series against the Mets, lead the majors in runs, home runs (by a wide margin), batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and many more percentages.
The Yankees are coming off a heartbreaking game and series defeat against the Marlins, who scored five runs in the ninth Sunday to pull off an 8-7 comeback to push the Yankees five games back of a wild-card spot.
The last trusted pieces in the Yankees’ rotation are Gerrit Cole (who pitched Sunday) and Schmidt, which puts additional weight on Monday’s matchup.
As does Atlanta’s recent play, Schmidt watching from afar as the Braves hung 21 runs in a single game in Queens this weekend.
“Regardless of what happens, it’s a good challenge I think when you face lineups like that,” said Schmidt, who has held his own against powerful lineups including the Rangers’ and Orioles’ this season. “It makes you better, whether you do good or you do bad. I’ve faced a lot of really good lineups this year. …
“Every time I came out the other side of it, I learned things that I didn’t have when I went into it.”
Schmidt knows imposing Braves lineups, growing up with Chipper Jones as his favorite player while idolizing Tim Hudson, a “command guy who kept guys off-balance,” said Schmidt, who is a command guy who tries to keep guys off-balance.
Going through the Yankees’ system, Schmidt sometimes heard the comparison and was flattered.
Now 27 and establishing himself as the second-best starter in a thin Yankees rotation, Schmidt is having a career year that he hopes will continue against Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and some of the best bats in the game.
Normally Schmidt can block out the literal noise during a start and focus on the catcher’s glove.
But if anyone can pierce through and reach him, it’s his mother, Renee.
“If I’m starting to struggle or I’m throwing balls, my mom is going to be the loudest,” Schmidt said. “She’s the one who’s going to try to get me back locked in. I’m normally able to pick up her voice.”
Read more
