Yankees' Clarke Schmidt exits start vs. Blue Jays with ominous injury

As if the New York Yankees' typical summer collapse couldn't get more painful, Clarke Schmidt - one start removed from an all-time scoreless streak and two starts out of a no-hitter debate - left Thursday's start against the Blue Jays with the last injury you want to hear about.

Schmidt. who underwent Tommy John surgery as a collegiate pitcher, making him a "safer" bet, exited Thursday's outing against Toronto in a 3-3 game after just 55 pitchers. He gave way to Clayton Beeter, a rookie thrust into a highly uncomfortable situation.

As Beeter's fourth inning was developing - spoiler alert: didn't go great - Schmidt's injury was announced as "right forearm tightness".

Such an injury is typically a precursor to something ... much worse, though Schmidt might be slightly safer, having already undergone the procedure once. Regardless, it's a killer for the Yankees, who can ill afford any sort of departure from the norm. They're under enough stress as it is.

Clarke Schmidt exits New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays with forearm tightness

More updates to come, but there's plenty to be worried about right now, as the Yankees' deadened offense tries to keep up with an undermanned rotation, which has already been stripped down to the Marcus Stromans of it all.

Schmidt's most recent start against the A's was bumped back one day to account for his slow recovery, which had held him back in the two outings prior - though you'd never know it, based on the results.

Certainly, a battery of tests will follow, and the Yankees - who won't rush Luis Gil through rehab - will now be significantly undermanned as they roll down a gigantic hill ahead of the All-Star break.

Need to secure just a single victory in this four-game set to maintain a slim advantage in the AL East race, the Yankees are now in severe danger of surrendering it all in the blink of an eye after building up a seven-game lead just a few weeks back. The season isn't over, but a long-term Schmidt injury certainly would draw them closer to D-Day.