Quick thoughts after back-to-back rainouts vs. Rangers

UPDATE (3:55pm ET): Clarke Schmidt is starting the second game of Triple-A Scranton's doubleheader today (box score), so he won't be the 27th man for tomorrow's doubleheader. It'll be someone else. Intrigue!

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The Yankees and Rangers were rained out Friday and again Saturday. The forecast looks good (enough) for Sunday, so they’ll play a doubleheader then, and then play a makeup game during a common off-day Monday. Between the lockout and rainouts, six of the seven games the Yankees have against the Rangers this year have had to be rescheduled.

Saturday’s rainout means the Yankees will play 23 games in the next 22 days. Rough, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. I would guess Clarke Schmidt will be recalled as the 27th man to make a spot start during the doubleheader (the 15-day rule doesn't apply to the 27th man). He hasn’t pitched in Triple-A since being sent down Monday and the Yankees knew the rainouts were coming, so they probably held him back just in case.

The Yankees could start Gerrit Cole and Luis Severino in the two games Sunday, then Jordan Montgomery on Monday, Jameson Taillon on Tuesday, and Nestor Cortes on Wednesday. They would then need a spot starter Thursday. Schmidt can't come up because of the 15-day rule. That is Luis Gil’s day in Triple-A, but then you have to send someone down to call him up, etc. It’s messy. Schmidt as the 27th man is the easy move.

Schmidt threw 16 pitches last Sunday and 54 pitches way back on April 19th. He hasn’t pitched much lately. Even with an extended bullpen session sometime this week, he’s good for what, 50-60 pitches Sunday? Maybe 75 if you really push it? The plan might be to take whatever you get from Schmidt, then piggyback him with Mike King if you need length.

Here’s what the rotation could look like the next few days:

• Sun. May 8th vs. Rangers: Cole and Schmidt (as 27th man)
• Mon., May 9th vs. Rangers: Severino
• Tues., May 10th vs. Blue Jays: Montgomery
• Weds., May 11th vs. Blue Jays: Taillon
• Thurs., May 12th at White Sox: Cortes
• Fri., May 13th at White Sox: Cole on normal rest (Schmidt starts in Triple-A)
• Sat., May 14th at White Sox: Severino
• Sun., May 15th at White Sox: Montgomery
• Mon., May 16th at Orioles: Taillon
• Tues., May 17th at Orioles: Cortes (Schmidt’s 15 days expires)
• Weds., May 18th at Orioles: Schmidt spot start to give the others extra rest?
• Thurs., May 19th: Back to Cole and the rest of the rotation

The Yankees only have one long man type in their bullpen and he’s also their best or second best reliever. King is not someone they’ll throw out there to soak up innings with a lopsided score. Aaron Boone & Co. will have to finesse the staff a bit to make sure no one gets overworked.

Teams can carry up to 14 pitchers until May 29th (the last day of this 23 games in 22 days stretch) and right now the Yankees are at 13 pitchers and 13 position players. I think the chances Tim Locastro gets sent down for a fresh arm at some point these next 22 days stretch are pretty high. Also, the only optionable relievers on the roster are King, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Wandy Peralta. King and Loaisiga aren’t going anywhere. Peralta might get shuttled out at some point. We’ll see.

As for the position players, you know the Yankees will take care to rest their guys, especially Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson (who still hasn’t started more than two straight days in the field). Having nine players for eight spots (not counting catcher) will come in handy, as will Marwin Gonzalez’s ability to play just about anywhere. Enjoy the impromptu back-to-back off-days this weekend. Starting Sunday, the Yankees aren’t off again until Memorial Day.

(Send your requests for Tuesday's random Yankee series and questions for Friday's mailbag to RABmailbag at gmail dot com.)