Schmidt Activated From Injured List, Shifts To Yankees Bullpen
The New York Yankees reinstated right-hander Clarke Schmidt from the injured list on Wednesday, completing his return from a 14-month recovery from elbow surgery. The 30-year-old, who finished a rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues, is expected to work out of the bullpen as the Yankees shape their pitching staff for the postseason.
Schmidt underwent an internal brace procedure on his ulnar collateral ligament on July 11, 2025, and began his minor league rehab assignment on Aug. 29. The 2017 first-round draft pick had pitched exclusively as a starter since 2023, but with Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole occupying the rotation, the Yankees will use him in relief. "It's been a long journey, a lot of work that goes into this. A lot of long days, early mornings," Schmidt said before Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins. "I've just been itching to come back." bkfc fight odds
To create space on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated infielder-outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera for assignment. Cabrera missed most of the 2025 season because of a severe ankle injury. Manager Aaron Boone praised Cabrera's standing within the clubhouse, saying, "I'm blessed to have a lot of guys on this team that you just admire and respect and love doing the job with on a daily basis. Oswaldo's right there at the top of that list."
Schmidt's activation gives the Yankees another late-season bullpen option as they finalize their pitching depth for the stretch run. Cabrera's roster fate now depends on whether another club claims him or the Yankees look to retain him through other roster mechanisms.
