Fans shocked as Yankees pull pitcher with no-hitter in progress
Fans shocked as Yankees pull pitcher with no-hitter in progress originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Clarke Schmidt had thrown seven no-hit innings. He'd racked up 103 pitches, worked through traffic, and walked off the mound with Yankee Stadium on edge. Up 9–0 on the Orioles, the Yankees were cruising. Fans wanted history.
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Then the bullpen gate opened.
Aaron Boone pulled Schmidt between innings, opting not to send him back out for the eighth. It was the right-hander's first start since April, his first time back since injuring his lat in spring training. The pitch count was high. The lead was large. The plan was likely set before the first pitch was thrown.
New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt reacts to the hot weather as he walks off the mound on June 21, 2025, at Yankee Stadium. © John Jones-Imagn Images
And yet… when Gary Sánchez broke up the no-hitter with a bloop single off JT Brubaker in the eighth—just after a check-swing call went Sánchez's way—fans didn't hold back.
'Honestly you can't even blame Boone here,' one fan posted. 'He should've been out.' That was the calm side of Twitter.
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There were clearly a lot of fans who didn't understand the situation.
'Fire Boone in the middle of the inning.'
'Coach of the year strikes again. You don't take him out. You go batter to batter.'
'If Boone brings in Leiter Jr. to finish this game, he should get fired before he leaves the stadium.'
'It's 9-0. Let him go one batter at a time.'
'Aaron Boone Masterclass.'
'Ridiculous. This team is so stupid.'
The frustration was about losing the no-hitter and a chance to see something special.
But the question was never about Schmidt wearing down and giving up hits or run. It was weighing a no-hitter against keeping Schmidt healthy. He has just one full season without injuries.
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Boone told reporters after the game that Schmidt was "done" and struggling to get through the sixth and seventh innings physically. He said there was no pushback from the pitcher.
The Yankees are already without Gerrit Cole for the season. Luis Gil, the team's best rookie starter, still hasn't returned. Boone's rotation is one high-leverage pitch away from collapse most nights.
Former Yankees manager Joe Girardi, speaking on the YES Network, said Boone's decision will likely be one of the hardest he makes all year.
'Yes, people come to the ballpark and want to see a no-hitter,' Girardi said. 'But they also want to see championships. And they want to see players healthy and on the field.'
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Related: Yankees Star Gerrit Cole Shares Sweet Stories From Dad Life and Rehab
Related: Can One Slow Roller Change the Yankees' Struggling Shortstop's Season?
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
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