Somehow, some way, the New York Yankees' season may now hinge on Clarke Schmidt.
The New York Yankees' bullpen was dealt a devastating blow on Wednesday, as Fernando Cruz was placed on the 15-day injured list due to elbow discomfort.
A later report surfaced stating that Cruz had a partial tear in his UCL, which means his season is obviously offer.
New York shouldn't be too surprised considering how overworked Cruz has been this season. The 36-year-old has already made 61 appearances, and he has surrendered four home runs over his last 10 outings.
Clearly, the fiery veteran was getting tired.
And with fellow relief stalwart Brent Headrick also showing serious signs of fatigue, it's becoming increasingly obvious that the Yankees' pen is in some pretty severe trouble.
Enter Clarke Schmidt, who has not pitched since last July after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Schmidt was supposed to return earlier this month, but experienced some forearm cramping during a bullpen session and was shut down for a few weeks.
New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.The good news? Schmidt is back facing live hitters, and he seems like he will begin a rehab stint fairly soon.
Who had Clarke Schmidt saving the Yankees on their bingo card heading into the season?
Perhaps that's a bit hyperbolic, but there is no question that getting a healthy, fresh Schmidt back into the fold will do wonders for a bullpen that is beyond taxed.
New York failed to acquire any relief pitchers at the MLB trade deadline because it was relying on the eventual return of Schmidt, plus the likelihood that one of Ryan Weathers or Will Warren would be heading to the bullpen. But Weathers' own elbow injury changed that trajectory.
Now, the Yanks may just have to depend on Schmidt, who has pitched out of the pen in the past for the club.
Of course, the Yankees have to see what type of shape Schmidt is in first. He has appeared in a grand total of 30 games since 2024, and everyone knows his injury history.
New York will have to see where his velocity is once he gets into rehab starts and how comfortable he is throwing his breaking stuff.
If Schmidt is good to go, there is no question he will provide the Yankees' bullpen with a massive lift and will help compensate for the absence of Cruz.
But if the 30-year-old is unable to get it together before the end of the campaign, there is no doubt that the later innings will become a grave problem for the Bronx Bombers.
