Mariners’ Josh Rojas Confirms Yankees’ Clarke Schmidt was ‘Clearly Tipping’ Pitches
Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVMay 23, 2024
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Seattle Mariners infielder Josh Rojas recognized a mistake from New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt during Tuesday’s game and took advantage.
“You can see in the video he was clearly tipping [his pitches],” Rojas, who motioned to teammate Dylan Moore before a two-run homer in the third inning of his team’s 6-3 win, said, per Ronald Blum of the Associated Press.
“Everybody’s always trying to look for something,” Rojas said Wednesday. “We’re out there trying to find anything we can to gain an advantage.”
MLB Network broke down the situation:
MLB Network @MLBNetwork”Get really close to your TV right here…” đ§
Was Josh Rojas able to pick up Clarke Schmidt’s pitch grips during last night’s Yankees-Mariners game?@CY24_7 breaks down what he saw on #MLBCentral âŹïž pic.twitter.com/jSizr5rNBw
To Schmidt’s credit, it was the only significant mistake he made.
He allowed just the two runs and four hits while striking out six in five innings of work. However, the Yankees’ bullpen struggled while allowing four runs in the final three innings. New York’s only offense came too late, as Gleyber Torres’ three-run homer in the seventh still wasn’t enough to make up the deficit.
For his part, Schmidt acknowledged his mistake.
“Obviously tipping is a part of this game and it’s a factor and it’s always in the back of our heads and something that we’re well aware of,” Schmidt said. “They got two runs on it. But I was able to make adjustments after we saw the video and just part of the game. Another factor in it.”
If nothing else, it is something that he will pay attention to the next time he takes the mound.
And it is probably something opponents of the Mariners will focus on as well.
