Yankees reinstate Clarke Schmidt from injured list as reliever

The New York Yankees reinstated right-handed pitcher Clarke Schmidt from the 60-day injured list on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, marking his return after a 14-month recovery from elbow surgery. The move, confirmed by the team, aims to integrate the 30-year-old into the bullpen for the upcoming postseason. Schmidt underwent an internal brace procedure on his ulnar collateral ligament on July 11, 2025, and began a minor league rehabilitation assignment on August 29. He made five rehab appearances between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, pitching 12 innings in short relief stints. During his time in Triple-A, Schmidt averaged 94.1 mph on his four-seam fastball, matching his pre-injury velocity. "It's been a long journey, a lot of work that goes into this. A lot of long days, early mornings," Schmidt said before the Yankees' game against the Minnesota Twins. "I've just been itching to come back." To create a spot on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated utility player Oswaldo Cabrera for assignment. Cabrera, 27, missed most of the 2025 season with a severe ankle injury and played in just three games for the Yankees this season.