Clarke Schmidt, whose season was derailed by a strained elbow suffered during spring training, pitched well in a rehab game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday night.
It was his first outing at Triple-A this season and he allowed just one run — on a homer — in 3 ¹/₃ innings. Schmidt threw 62 pitches.
It came a night after Corey Kluber allowed three runs in three innings in a rehab outing with SWB, which Boone called “encouraging” on Wednesday.
“I thought he threw the ball really well,’’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after watching video of Kluber’s outing. “His stuff was good. … He was strong.”
Kluber threw 56 pitches and is expected to make another rehab start, with an increase in workload.
Figuring that would put him around 70 pitches — and with the calendar approaching September — the Yankees will have a decision to make either following that outing or shortly thereafter, since they’ll want to see if Kluber can contribute down the stretch after being out with a strained shoulder.
Boone said he thought Kluber was on track to do so.
“That’s why we’re doing it, so he can [contribute],’’ Boone said before the Yankees’ 5-2 series-sweeping victory over the Red Sox at the Stadium. “So far, we’re encouraged by the progress he’s making.”
Boone said the team is still waiting on a second opinion on Luis Severino’s shoulder MRI exam, with more news expected Thursday and Domingo German threw a bullpen session Wednesday as he comes back from right shoulder inflammation, which Boone said “went well.”
Thursday’s starter, Jameson Taillon, said he was “definitely aware of all the guys coming back” and the pitchers in the rotation aren’t worried about where they will fall when — or if — everyone returns.
“With all the injured guys we’ve had this year, the more talented guys we have together, the better,’’ Taillon said. “They haven’t talked to us about roles. At this point in the year, we need as many quality big league arms as we can get.”
Taillon has pitched much better in the second half of the season than he did in the early part of the season, as he prepares for what would be his first time in the playoffs.
“There’s a lot of battle-tested guys on this team and just being part of this [playoff race] is good for me,’’ Taillon said. “I didn’t carry my weight the first couple months. I’m glad I’ve been able to contribute now.”
Miguel Andujar started in left field with SWB again Wednesday.
Before the game, the Yankees optioned OF Jonathan Davis and RHP Nick Nelson to SWB to make room for Anthony Rizzo and Aroldis Chapman, who returned to the roster Wednesday. Trey Amburgey returned from his rehab assignment, reinstated from the 10-day IL and sent to SWB as a COVID replacement player.