Overview

• Aaron Boone called Tommy John surgery “inevitable” after Schmidt felt forearm discomfort and was placed on the 15-day injured list on July 4 following MRI confirmation of a torn UCL.
• The 29-year-old right-hander will undergo his second Tommy John procedure, a recovery that is expected to end his 2025 campaign and keep him out through most of 2026.
• Schmidt’s loss deepens a rotation crisis for New York, which had already been without Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil due to season-ending surgeries.
• With rotation depth depleted, the Yankees are targeting external pitching help before the July 31 trade deadline while also eyeing internal options such as prospect Cam Schlittler and veterans Carlos Carrasco and Allan Winans.
• Despite the setback, Schmidt remains upbeat and is shifting his focus to the rehabilitation process following his second elbow reconstruction.