A pitcher who was in the midst of a 7-inning no-hitter volunteered to be replaced. When the pitch count reached 103, he decided not to push himself and let go of his desire for more. New York Yankees right-handed pitcher Clarke Schmidt (29) is the main character in this story.

On the 22nd (Korean time), Schmidt started the home game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, throwing for 7 innings, allowing only 2 walks and 1 hit-by-pitch, while striking out 5 batters, showcasing a no-hitter performance. He led the Yankees to a 9-0 victory, earning his 4th win of the season.

After one out in the first inning, he loaded the bases with consecutive walks but overcame the crisis with a strikeout and a popup. Schmidt then retired the side in order in the second and third innings. In the fourth inning, he allowed a runner on base with a hit-by-pitch but continued his no-hitter streak with 11 consecutive outs until the seventh inning.

However, starting from the beginning of the eighth inning, he handed the mound over to J.T. Brubaker, finishing the game with a pitch count of 103. He evenly mixed six types of pitches: cutter (45), slider (24), knuckle curve (14), four-seam fastball (11), sweeper (5), and sinker (4). His four-seam fastball velocity peaked at 95.1 mph (153.0 km/h) with an average of 93.9 mph (151.1 km/h).

After finishing the seventh inning, Schmidt came off the field to a standing ovation from the Yankees' home fans, already having made up his mind to be replaced. His total pitch count of 103 tied his personal record, and he felt he had reached his limit while giving his all throughout the game. After descending to the dugout, he decided to be replaced without a lengthy conversation with Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

According to 'MLB.com', Schmidt said, "It was really special to have such a performance in front of the home fans. I felt all eyes in the stadium were on me at the moment I received the standing ovation. It was an emotion that was hard to express in words."

Although he could have sought the no-hitter, he coolly gave it up. He stated, "Ideally, I want to throw as long as possible, but I had already thrown 103 pitches, and there were still 2 innings left. I had to think long term. It’s a bit regrettable, but I wonder if it was worth throwing 130 pitches." He added, "After coming off in the seventh, it felt like manager Boone looked at me and said ‘that’s it.’ There was a bit of conversation afterward, but just by looking into his eyes, I could sense I wouldn’t be going for 130 pitches."

Manager Boone said, "I also wanted to see a historic moment, but Schmidt already looked fatigued starting in the fifth inning. It was evident he was struggling in the weather that was over 30 degrees, and I thought it would be difficult for him to go long after the fifth inning."

Drafted by the Yankees as the overall 16th pick in the first round of the 2017 draft, Schmidt has recorded 23 wins, 23 losses, 2 saves, and 4 holds with a 3.75 earned run average over 95 games (65 starts, 384⅓ innings) through 6 seasons since his major league debut in 2020. He achieved a personal-best of 9 wins in the 2023 season but was limited to 16 appearances due to a lat injury that kept him out for more than 3 months last year.

This year, he also started the season on the injured list due to shoulder pain and made his first appearance on April 17. Prior to this appearance, he had managed under 100 pitches in all 11 games. With over half of the season remaining, there was no reason to push for the no-hitter record in front of him. It is important for Schmidt, as well as for the Yankees, to maintain his health for the postseason.

This year, Schmidt has achieved a record of 4 wins, 3 losses, and a 2.84 earned run average with 65 strikeouts over 12 games (69⅔ innings), marking career-high ratios. His momentum is increasing, as he is on a streak of 25⅓ scoreless innings since the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians on the 5th.

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