JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST
Wednesday is a pivotal day for the Yankees in the early part of the season.
Clarke Schmidt, who has been on the shelf since Spring Training with a shoulder injury, will make his season debut at Yankee Stadium against the Kansas City Royals.
With Marcus Stroman’s struggles and the uncertainty of how 38-year-old Carlos Carrasco will fare over the rest of the season, Schmidt’s health will play a huge role in how the rest of the campaign goes for this staff.
Schmidt and the Yankees are -150 favorites over Kris Bubic and the Royals.
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Yankees vs. Royals betting preview
After an uneven 2023 campaign, Schmidt was terrific for much of last season, pitching to a 2.85 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 85 ⅓ innings.
The key to Schmidt’s success was his ability to keep the ball in the yard (0.84 home runs per 9 innings) and a balanced arsenal that led to an average of 9.8 strikeouts per 9 innings.
Schmidt’s underlying numbers suggested he was lucky to have an ERA les than 3.00, but it’s not like he was all smoke and mirrors.
Bubic missed all of 2023 and plenty of 2024 after Tommy John surgery, but he was terrific in limited duty when he returned.
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The 27-year-old has carried that form into the early stages of 2025, pitching to a 0.96 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 18 ⅔ innings.
Yankees vs. Royals pick
Schmidt’s 2024 performance was promising, but this is a tricky spot to back him as a -150 favorite.
Not only is this his first start since returning from injury, but he’s also going up against an in-form opponent.
The only way to play this one is to back the underdog.
The Play: Royals +125
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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