Yankees face tough rotation decision with Luis Gil Clarke Schmidt on way back with potential wrinkle

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ARLINGTON, Texas Baseball has a way of working itself out. Not long ago, Aaron Boone was regularly peppered with questions prior to Gerrit Coles June return from the injured list. Most of them were some version of how would the Yankees open a spot for Cole in a full rotation, only for Clarke Schmidt to get injured in late May and make it not much of a decision at all. And then on Monday night, with another rotation crunch looming, the Yankees got another scare when in the bottom of the seventh inning. But if Dylan Dodd Jersey Coles right calf cramp turns out to be as harmle s as it sounded when it was announced, the Yankees will have a decision to make about their rotation in the coming days, with no simple solution to solve it. New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con Luis Gil threw 80 pitches in a rehab start Sunday and is expected to return to the rotation this weekend at Wrigley Field against the Cubs. Explore More Clarke Schmidt made his third and likely final rehab start on Monday night with Double-A Somerset, setting him up to also return this weekend in Chicago. Boone indicated on Monday that the Yankees could potentially use a six-man rotation one time through as Gil and Schmidt slot back in, but they would not want to do that the rest of the season, which means a difficult decision is coming. Well see, Boone said Monday before the Yankees opened a series against the Rangers at Globe Life Field. Were not at that point yet. Hopefully a decision is not made for us because something comes up or something happens. When we get to that point, hopefully were in a position that we have to make a tough call on somebody. Well do that when we have to do it. Boone also said that the Yankees could get creative in another way he did not say how, but that could mean using two starters piggybacking each other. Well work through that here over the next 24-48 hours, Boone said. New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) throws a pitch during the second inning when the New York Yankees played the Cleveland Indians Tuesday, August 20, 2024. Robert Sabo for NY Post The decision may ultimately come down to what the Yankees believe can help them the most come October, though they still have a lot on the line in September as they entered Monday leading AL East by a half-game over the Orioles. See Also For now, Cole started on Monday night and was set to be followed by Carlos Rodon on Tuesday and Marcus Stroman on Wednesday. After an off day Thursday, both Gil and Nestor Cortes would be on normal rest to start Fridays series opener against the Cubs. Cole (3.86 ERA entering Monday) is a lock to remain in the rotation, a suming he stays healthy while trying to find his groove after mi sing the first two and a half months of the season with elbow nerve inflammation. Rodon (4.31) is likely to remain, despite some inconsistency over the last two months following a strong start to the season. Stroman (3.81) has been better over his last four starts since getting pushed back to work on his mechanics while Cortes (4.08) took a step back on Sunday after looking like he had turned a corner. Clarke Schmidt throws to the Seattle Mariners in the first inning at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, USA, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Schmidt has not pitched in the big leagues since May 26 because of a lat strain, but had posted a 2.86 ERA through his first 11 starts and has been building back up for a starters workload in his rehab. The right-hander, like Cortes, does have relief experience. And then there is Gil, who may be the biggest wild card. He was in the Cy Young conversation early in the season after a dominant start, struggled in late June and then got back into a groove before sustaining a lower back strain on Aug. 20. Go beyond the box score with the Bombers Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! He is well past his career-high in innings, and a move to the bullpen (where his swing-and-mi s stuff could be of use) would help manage that workload. But when he is right, his biggest impact might be as a starter, and he said Monday he definitely thinks he can get back to that early-season dominance. I think when you take into consideration the entire season and the way I was able to compete early in the season, I feel like I have a pretty good chance at getting back to that point and competing at that level, Gil said through an interpreter. I feel good right now and hopefully we get into the playoffs and get a chance to compete. Josh Tomlin Jersey