OAKLAND — The Yankees made UCLA right-hander James Kaprielian their first-round selection in the 2015 draft. He was later included in the trade with the A’s that brought Sonny Gray to the Yankees, and had to overcome a series of arm injuries. Now 28, he finally has become a fixture in the A’s rotation and has shown flashes of excellence.
“It’s taken awhile,’’ Kaprielian said before he was lit up for eight runs in 2 ⅔ innings in a 13-4 Yankees victory Thursday night at Oakland Coliseum.
Clarke Schmidt can relate. He has taken a similar route, though Schmidt remains with the Yankees after being drafted — also with the No. 16 overall pick, also as a college right-hander (out of South Carolina) — two years after Kaprielian.
Schmidt, who was named as the starter for Sunday’s game after Nestor Cortes landed on the IL on Thursday due to a strained groin, has been limited by arm injuries for much of his career. But he’s been healthy in 2022.
