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Clarke Schmidt’s Tommy John surgery date confirmed

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Mike Gianakos | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 5:28 PM ET

Clarke Schmidt was attempting to pull the New York Yankees out of a skid and avoid the series sweet against the Toronto Blue Jays when he left his July 3 start early. Schmidt landed on the injured list after the outing and the Yankees expected a prolonged stay.

On Thursday, New York confirmed the sixth-year veteran’s season is over. Schmidt will undergo Tommy John surgery on July 11, per The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner.

The news isn’t surprising as the Yankees anticipated Schmidt would need surgery. But it’s a devastating blow to New York’s battered rotation. The team already lost Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery during spring training and Luis Gil has yet to pitch this season as he recovers from an oblique strain. Now New York will move forward without Schmidt.

The Yankees’ banged up rotation takes another hit

Jun 28, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Athletics at Yankee Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The 29-year-old righty first found success with the Yankees as a reliever in 2022. But he transitioned to a starter the following year. Schmidt had a strong season in 2024, with a 2.85 ERA and 142 ERA+ but he missed significant time with a lat strain and only logged 16 starts.

In 2025, Schmidt became a valuable third starter behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodon after the Yankees lost Cole and Gil. Schmidt had a 3.32 ERA, 1.093 WHIP and 122 ERA+ in 14 starts for New York.

While Cam Schlittler was impressive in his major league debut following Schmidt’s injury, the Yankees will seek a starter at the trade deadline. The team has struggled mightily in July, beginning the month with a six-game losing streak that cost New York the division lead.

The Yankees were swept by the Blue Jays, falling to second place in the AL East. The team was able to end the skid, winning its last three games. But New York will likely need to upgrade its banged up rotation to stay in the division race.

The Yankees are 51-41 on the season and 2.5 games behind Toronto. The Blue Jays’ 10-game winning streak came to an end on Wednesday but the hot streak, which included wins in 12 of 13 games, helped propel the team past New York.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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