Clarke Schmidt out two months in blow to Yankees’ surging rotation

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The surging Yankees rotation has its first in-season injury, and Clarke Schmidt isn’t coming back anytime soon.

Schmidt will be shut down for four to six weeks with a right lat strain that landed him on the injured list Thursday, manager Aaron Boone said, dealing a blow to a rotation that has thrived even without its ace, Gerrit Cole.

Speaking after Thursday’s 8-3 win over the Angels, Schmidt said he was hoping to get back to throwing even sooner, potentially within three to four weeks.

Even still, typically for pitchers, the length of a shutdown is about equal to the time it takes to build back up, meaning Schmidt could be sidelined for around two months.

“It’s definitely devastating,” Schmidt said. “I’m probably having the most fun I’ve ever had playing this game in my career. Not only having success, but the team’s winning, the pitching staff’s doing really well, and it’s just fun being able to go out there and compete every five days with these guys.

“A big part of me is I pride myself on being available and being a guy they can rely on every five days to go out there and give them a chance to win ballgames. So a big part of me feels like I’m letting the team down because I’m not doing that part of being available every five days.”