Yankees: 3 options to replace Tommy Kahnle in bullpen after surgery news

2. Clarke Schmidt

Yankees fans have been ready to see Schmidt in action for weeks.

If there’s any possible silver lining to be had in the wake of Kahnle’s injured list designation, it’s the likelihood that Yankees fans will finally see top prospect Clarke Schmidt called up to the big league roster.

It’s still puzzling that the 24-year-old right-hander didn’t start the season with New York as he was named the recipient of the 2020 James P. Dawson Award, which is given to the most outstanding Yankees rookie in spring training.

Truth be told, there was no other player deserving of the nod as Schmidt was regularly overpowering his teammates during intrasquad scrimmages and live batting practices.

Though the Yankees clearly see him as a starter moving forward, he could be deployed as a weapon out of the bullpen. That, or Schmidt could just as easily replace Happ, who was smacked around in his first outing, in the rotation, and the 37-year-old lefty could be moved to the pen.

We knew Schmidt would be back, and it’s unfortunate is could be under these circumstances, but sometimes situations like these are how careers are made.