Yankees' Clarke Schmidt Shifts to 60-Day IL After Elbow Surgery

Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt has been transferred to the 60-day injured list following internal brace surgery on his right elbow, effectively ending his 2024 season and sidelining him until after the 2026 All-Star break. The procedure, performed by Dr. Keith Meister on July 11, was not a full Tommy John reconstruction but rather involved reattaching the ulnar collateral ligament to the bone, which Schmidt and doctors consider the 'best case' scenario for this type of injury. Schmidt, 29, expressed optimism about his recovery timeline of 11-13 months, aiming to be a factor in the Yankees' rotation in the second half of 2026. His absence, along with ace Gerrit Cole's loss to Tommy John surgery earlier this year, has intensified the Yankees' search for rotation help before the MLB trade deadline. Schmidt had a strong season before his injury, posting a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts. The roster move also made room for newly acquired outfielder Austin Slater.