Yankees braced to lose star player set to undergo ligament surgery
The Yankees manager explained that the 29-year-old pitcher will require Tommy John surgery for a torn ligament in his elbow.
The New York Yankees (48–40) have battled pitching injuries throughout the 2025 MLB season, and now one of their top arms is expected to miss the remainder of the year. Manager Aaron Boone announced that Clarke Schmidt will likely require Tommy John surgery after an MRI revealed damage to his ulnar collateral ligament.
“He (Schmidt) will probably need surgery — Tommy John surgery,” Boone said before Game 2 of the series against the Mets. “He’ll get a second opinion, but the news doesn’t look good. We’ll see what happens in the next few days. It looks like the UCL.”
Schmidt last pitched on July 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays, lasting just three innings and allowing three runs, including a home run. However, he revealed that he had been dealing with discomfort since his June 4 outing against the Cleveland Guardians.
Injuries continue to strike the Yankees
Over the season, Schmidt made 14 starts, going 4–4 with a 3.32 ERA across 78 2/3 innings. He struck out 73 of the 316 batters he faced. Offensively, he contributed little at the plate, hitting just .199.
The Yankees have been forced into unorthodox roster moves to keep their rotation afloat amid a wave of injuries. Ace Gerrit Cole missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March.
Luis Gil, the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year, suffered a lat strain and was initially expected to be out for three months. More recently, Ryan Yarbrough was placed on the 15-day injured list with the same injury.
The Yankees’ current rotation is down to Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Will Warren, and Marcus Stroman. Other options include Carlos Carrasco, who has appeared in six games, and Allan Winans, who has just one start — both are currently in Triple-A. Boone now faces the difficult task of reinforcing the staff while trying to keep his remaining starters healthy.
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