Clarke Schmidt will not be available to help the New York Yankees’ bullpen at the beginning of the postseason after being placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday with right biceps neuritis.
The move is retroactive to Monday and comes less than two weeks after Schmidt returned from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander made just one appearance following his return, pitching two-thirds of an inning on September 16.
The Yankees had viewed Schmidt as a potential postseason bullpen option after he transitioned from the rotation following his recovery. New York also hopes left-hander Ryan Weathers can return from a left forearm flexor injury, with Weathers scheduled to throw a live batting-practice session Friday.
Without Schmidt, the Yankees will need to find another option for their playoff bullpen. Carlos Lagrange remains a possibility after manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that the hard-throwing right-hander is being considered for a postseason role. Lagrange has not yet appeared in a big-league game and is working his way back from a sprained right shoulder.
New York recalled right-hander Bradley Hanner from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Schmidt’s roster spot. The 30-year-old made his return from Tommy John surgery September 16, allowing two hits and striking out two in two-thirds of an inning.
Schmidt owns a 23-24 career record with a 3.81 earned-run average. He went 4-4 with a 3.32 earned-run average across 14 starts in 2025.
The Yankees are expected to open the American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday in the Bronx, with the best-of-three series determining which team advances to the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.