Ohtani bests Yanks, but Judge has big picture in mind

NEW YORK -- It was a few hours before the scheduled first pitch of Tuesday’s game, and Clarke Schmidt and catcher Kyle Higashioka were huddling with scouting reports for the Angels’ lineup. They focused on Shohei Ohtani, deciding to counter his aggression with a steady diet of breaking balls away.

That exchange flashed through Schmidt’s mind as he stood on the mound in the first inning, a runner dancing at second base and Ohtani holding the bat high above his head. Schmidt selected a slider, saw it spinning toward the heart of home plate and instantly knew it would be trouble.

“I was trying to back-door it, and as soon as I saw it up, I said, ‘Oh, gosh,’” Schmidt said after the Yankees’ 5-2 loss to the Angels. “You’re hoping that it gets in on him more, or down or away. I left him way too much plate. I love facing the best hitters in the world, but it’s even better to get them out.”

On the 100th anniversary of the opening of the original Yankee Stadium, Ohtani grabbed top billing in a matchup that also featured recent American League MVPs Aaron Judge and Mike Trout, connecting for his eighth home run in 18 career games against the Yanks.

“We had our opportunities, but any time you go up against guys like Trout and Ohtani, you’ve got to come with your best offensively,” Judge said.

Ohtani’s two-run shot, a Statcast-projected 391-foot drive to the right-field bullpen, highlighted an Angels barrage that sent Schmidt to an early exit. It has been a rough opening act for the 27-year-old, whom the club initially envisioned as its No. 5 starter before injuries to Carlos Rodón and Luis Severino.

Instead, Schmidt landed in the No. 2 slot, where he has posted an 8.79 ERA through four starts (14 1/3 innings). Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that there are no plans to remove Schmidt from the rotation, expressing confidence that he can take a step forward by improving his fastball command.

“He’s one of our starters right now,” Boone said. “We’re a little banged up in the rotation right now. He’s got to go out there to find a way to get to that next level. We don’t really have that luxury right now.”

Higashioka acknowledged that he and Schmidt would “try to modify the game plan a little bit and try something new” before the hurler’s next scheduled start. After escaping the first inning when Trout was doubled off first base on a foul popup, Schmidt pitched cleanly through the second and third innings before running aground in the fourth.

Trout doubled and scored on an Anthony Rendon single, then Hunter Renfroe followed with a run-scoring double to put the Angels up by four runs. Schmidt exited after 68 pitches and has yet to touch the mound past the fourth inning this season.

“I take full responsibility for what happened tonight, not being able to get through the heart of that order,” Schmidt said. “They’ve got a good lineup. I feel good; I feel healthy. So it’s just continuing to work and get better every time out.”

Ohtani showed off his wheels in the fifth inning, reaching on a catcher’s interference error, then stealing second base and advancing to third as Higashioka’s toss went into center field. Ohtani then scored on a Rendon sacrifice fly.

“He got a great jump and caused trouble out there,” Higashioka said. “He’s always a guy we look out for.”

Last autumn, Judge edged Ohtani for the AL MVP Award, securing 28 of 30 possible first-place votes. The Yankees were believed to be a leading suitor for Ohtani before the 2018 season, only to be informed that he preferred a team that played on the West Coast. Judge described his relationship with Ohtani as “friendly.”

“I love watching him compete, love watching what he does, not only in the box but on the mound,” Judge said. “I love what he’s done for this game. It’s going to be fun to watch for the next couple of days. We’ve got some work to do on our side.”

Ohtani figures to lead the upcoming free-agent class. Though the Bombers’ existing commitments to Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole likely preclude a run at the two-way superstar, Judge said he’ll watch Ohtani’s situation with great interest.

“I’ve never seen a player like him going into free agency, where he’s one of the top pitchers in the game and one of the top hitters in the game,” Judge said. “You combine that into a great all-around athlete. It’s going to be exciting to watch. I’m excited to see where he goes. Hopefully, he likes …”

Judge paused, allowing the thought to trail off, then offered a smile.

“I’m excited to see where he goes.”