Clarke Schmidt excited to pitch in Yankees’ near must-win situation

LOS ANGELES — Clarke Schmidt, the Yankees’ season is in your hands.

Monday’s Game 3 is as close as it gets to an elimination without actually being one.

The Yankees trail the Dodgers 2-0 in this World Series, and if they are going to come back from that deficit like they did in 1996, it will have to start with the next game in this series.

Clarke Schmidt, who is the Yankees’ Game 3 starter, talks to reporters before the Bombers’ 4-2 loss ot the Dodgers in Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 26, 2024. AP

Only one team, the 2004 Red Sox, have come from 3-0 down in a playoff series.

“All the games I pitch are pressure at this point,” Schmidt said after the Yankees’ 4-2 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. “It’s something I’ll be ready for, and I’m excited to get back out there.”

“I treat every game at this point — I think we all do — as a must-win. Whatever the record is, we’re treating each game like we have to win every game. Mentality-wise, nothing’s changing.”

Schmidt — who will get the ball for the first World Series game in The Bronx in 15 years — had a strong regular season, notching a 2.85 ERA in 16 starts.

He hasn’t given the Yankees much depth in his two playoff starts, lasting 4 ²/₃ innings each time, but he has allowed just two earned runs in each of his outings.

Those games, however, were against the Royals and Guardians.

These are the Dodgers.

It’s a significant step up in competition, even if Shohei Ohtani’s status is up in the air after he injured his left shoulder late in Game 2.

“Just top to bottom, very sound,” Schmidt said of the Dodgers’ robust lineup. “A lot of veteran guys there are really good at thinking along with you, and kind of make adjustments on the fly. You have to make adjustments right back. Just [be] on the attack, being able to pick up on tendencies and things they are trying to do against you.”

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It will mark the first playoff start at Yankee Stadium in Schmidt’s career.

Not a bad way to do it, in the World Series with so much at stake.

The atmosphere is expected to be electric, but Schmidt can’t let that distract him.

“Excitement, obviously we all know how big of a game it is,” the 28-year-old right-hander said. “Just keeping emotions at bay [is important]. Obviously it’s going to be bigger than another game, but keep emotions at bay and not try to do too much.”