Clarke Schmidt will be activated this week and will rejoin the Yankees as a reliever, 14 months after elbow surgery. Manager Aaron Boone indicated the 30-year-old right-hander could return during a three-game series in Minnesota that starts Monday.
"This has been a long journey," Schmidt said before Sunday's Subway Series finale against the Mets. "So a lot of anticipation and it's probably going to feel like a debut when I go out there, but it's going to be exciting. I'm ready to get back out there and compete with the guys."
Schmidt had an internal brace procedure on his ulnar collateral ligament by Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister on July 11, 2025, and was told recovery would take about a year. He had a 3.86 ERA in five minor league rehabilitation appearances starting Aug. 29, and threw 12 of 21 pitches for strikes with three strikeouts in four batters faced as a reliever for Double-A Somerset on Saturday.
"I think he can be huge," Boone said. "I think he's throwing the ball really well. His stuff's really good now right now. I feel like it has been for the last month. So I think he definitely could be an interesting guy for us down there and hopefully that's the case."
New York began Sunday second with a 3.16 bullpen ERA, trailing only Boston. Yankees relievers have thrown 527⅔ innings, the seventh fewest among the 30 teams, and Brent Headrick is second to Toronto's Mason Fluharty for the major league lead with 75 appearances. Schmidt said he expects his role to shake itself out but does not anticipate throwing three or four innings at a time or pitching on back-to-back days, and wants to work into leverage situations.
