Clarke Schmidt hoping next outing comes with Yankees: ‘Fighting for it’

Clarke Schmidt expects to pitch somewhere Monday, and he hopes it’s with the Yankees.

The right-hander has made a pair of minor league rehab starts and has built up to around 65 pitches after recovering from the lat strain that has sidelined him since late May.

“I’m fighting for it to be here,’’ Schmidt said. “I feel good.”

The Yankees still have other decisions to make prior to that date, as the rosters expand to 28 on Sunday, and there are numerous bullpen maneuvers still to make.

The state of the pen could also be a factor in how Schmidt is utilized.

Pitching coach Matt Blake said Schmidt “is doing everything he needs to do. It’s just a matter of pitch count.”

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Do the Yankees want to have Schmidt go about four innings, then rely on the pen the rest of the way?

It may depend on how their weekend series against the Cardinals goes.

Schmidt, though, is pleased with his progress.

Luis Gil (back strain) is set to make another rehab outing, perhaps Sunday, according to Boone.

The pen will also look different after Sunday, with Ian Hamilton expected back soon from a lat strain, perhaps by Sunday, and Scott Effross remains at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“He’s thrown the ball well lately,’’ Blake said of Effross, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery after the 2022 season but has allowed one run in his last eight appearances at SWB. “We have to find the right spot for him and get him in rhythm because he can help in October if he’s right.”

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Boone said Jasson Dominguez is “in consideration” to be called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when rosters expand Sunday.

“We’ll see,’’ Boone said Friday before Dominguez had two more hits for SWB. “He’s certainly one of those guys to be in the conversation for that.”

Dominguez made a splash when called up for the first time last September, when he hit four homers in eight games before tearing his UCL.

He also dealt with an oblique injury this season.

“I feel like he’s doing a good job after being a little slow coming back from the injury,” Boone said. “He’s stringing together days, doing good work and having good at-bats. He’s definitely a name in consideration.”

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But the Yankees haven’t given up on Alex Verdugo, who has an OPS of just .542 since June 15 but has shown some flashes lately.

The Yankees aren’t necessarily interested in having Dominguez in a platoon.

“We probably want him playing [regularly], but we’ll see what the right timing of everything is,” Boone said. “We haven’t made that decision.”

There were more “Re-sign Soto” chants in Friday’s 6-3 win over the Cardinals , as Juan Soto had two hits, including an RBI double, and threw a runner out at second.

“They’re getting loud,’’ Soto said of the crowd reaction. “It’s fun to see.”

Jon Berti (calf) is expected to continue his rehab assignment at least into next week, according to Boone.

Berti suffered a calf injury in May, which helped prompt the trade for Jazz Chisolm Jr.

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