Yankees’ Schmidt to Start Season on IL, But It’s Not All Bad News
Clarke Schmidt will begin the regular season on the injured list, Yankees GM Brian Cashman confirmed Saturday while speaking with reporters in Tampa.
The right-hander has been dealing with shoulder fatigue over the last two weeks at spring training, forcing the Yankees to make this move as Opening Day approaches.
There’s a silver lining, though. YES Network’s Meredith Marokovits clarified the situation with an encouraging update.
“To be clear on Schmidt … he is healthy… he’s been throwing… just needs to build up pitch count,” Marokovits posted on X.
Schmidt broke out last season with an impressive 2.85 ERA before a shoulder injury sidelined him for three months in the middle of 2024. It’s not clear if this current fatigue is related to that previous issue, but the Yankees aren’t taking any chances.
The timing couldn’t be worse for New York, which is already dealing with significant rotation problems. Gerrit Cole is out for the entire season, and Luis Gil won’t return until at least late May. That’s why they’re being extra cautious with Schmidt, even though there’s optimism this won’t keep him out long-term.
Schmidt essentially missed spring training, making just one start on March 11 where he threw 38 pitches. After being scratched from his next scheduled appearance due to fatigue, he’s now just beginning to ramp up his throwing program again.
The Yankees haven’t provided a timeline for Schmidt’s return, but his progress in building up pitch count will be the key factor in determining when he can rejoin the rotation.
