On a hot Saturday afternoon in the Bronx, Clarke Schmidt was nearly untouchable. The New York Yankees right-hander dazzled with seven no-hit innings against the Baltimore Orioles, retiring 20 of 21 batters after a shaky start. As he struck out Colton Cowser to end the seventh, Yankee Stadium buzzed with anticipation — Schmidt was just six outs away from his first career no-hitter.
But the dream ended not with a hit — at least not from Schmidt — but with a decision from manager Aaron Boone that sparked widespread backlash.
Despite Schmidt cruising with a pitch count of 103, Boone opted not to send his starter back out for the eighth inning. Instead, JT Brubaker took the mound — and on his very first batter, surrendered a single to Gary Sanchez. To make matters worse, many fans and analysts believed Sanchez should’ve been called out on a check swing just one pitch earlier.
“Umpires miss a check swing call on Gary Sanchez and he breaks up the no-hitter on the next pitch,” Talkin’ Yanks posted on X.
The frustration among Yankees fans was immediate and fierce. While the team went on to win handily, fans felt robbed of a potentially historic moment. Social media erupted with posts criticizing Boone’s decision:
“Boone should’ve never taken Clarke out just 6 outs from a no-hitter,” wrote @Gsaintvil.
“I just want to fight him once. WHY WON’T THEY LET ME FIGHT HIM?!” posted another user, echoing the emotional reaction of many.
Some fans tried to take a more measured approach, arguing that Schmidt’s 103-pitch count wasn’t excessive:
“I don’t see any reason why Clarke can’t come back in the 8th and just take it batter by batter. He’s at 103 pitches, not 130,” one fan pointed out.
But in today’s MLB, protecting pitchers’ arms often takes priority over milestone moments. The Yankees’ rotation has already been depleted by injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil. Boone, understanding the long season ahead, wasn’t willing to risk the health of a now-crucial piece of his staff.
Schmidt, a former first-round pick from South Carolina, has quietly blossomed into a reliable force. He entered the game with a 3.16 ERA and had posted a 1.07 ERA since May 28. Saturday’s outing was further proof that he’s evolving into a top-tier starter behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodón.
“Clarke Schmidt is through 7 no-hit innings at Yankee Stadium 👀,” MLB tweeted during the game, capturing the growing anticipation.
For now, we’ll never know. What is certain, though, is that the Yankees are placing team health and October readiness above individual accolades — and that may just be the smarter play in the long run.