NEW YORK (AP) — Clarke Schmidt will be activated this week and will rejoin the New York Yankees as a reliever, 14 months after elbow surgery.
Manager Aaron Boone indicated the 30-year-old right-hander could return during a three-game series in Minnesota that starts Monday.
“This has been a long journey,” Schmidt said before Sunday's Subway Series final against the Mets. “So a lot of anticipation and it’s probably going to feel like a debut when I go out there, but it’s going to be exciting. I’m ready to get back out there and compete with the guys.”
Schmidt had an internal brace procedure on his ulnar collateral ligament by Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister on July 11, 2025, and was told recovery would take about a year. He had a 3.86 ERA in five minor league rehabilitation appearances starting Aug. 29. He threw 12 of 21 pitches for strikes and struck out three of four hitters as a reliever for Double-A Somerset on Saturday.
“I think he can be huge,” Boone said. “I think he’s throwing the ball really well. His stuff’s really good now right now. I feel like it has been for the last month. So I think he definitely could be an interesting guy for us down there and hopefully that’s the case.”
New York began Sunday second with a 3.16 bullpen ERA, trailing only Boston. Yankee relievers have thrown 527 2/3 innings, the seventh-fewest amongst the 30 teams and Brent Headrick is second to Toronto’s Mason Fluharty for the major league lead with 75 appearances.
“I think it will shake itself out as far as what the role is,” Schmidt said. “Obviously I’m a reliever so I think that how they use me in leverage or whatever the case may be, it’s going to shake itself out. I don’t think I’m going to be throwing a bunch of innings, like three, four, stuff like that and I don’t see myself probably going back to back, but I want to work myself into leverage and pitch in big scenarios and try to pitch as much as I can and help guys in big situations.”
Schmidt was 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts last season. He previously had Tommy John surgery in May 2017, a month before the Yankees selected him with the 16th overall pick in the amateur draft out of South Carolina.
The 30-year-old debuted in 2020 and made 27 of his 30 career relief appearances in 2022. He is 23-24 with a 3.82 ERA in 97 games for the Yankees and 5-3 with a 3.18 ERA and two saves as a reliever.
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FILE - New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) throws during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, June 28, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, File)
BERLIN (AP) — Iyana Martín led Spain to the bronze medal at the women’s FIBA World Cup on Sunday with an 81-58 win over host Germany.
The 20-year-old Martín scored 22 points to give Spain, which didn't qualify for the last World Cup, its third third-place finish in the tournament after 2010 and 2018.
The Spanish players looked sharper and faster throughout, with turnovers again an issue for Germany after the hosts had 25 in their semifinal defeat to France on Saturday. Germany had six in the first quarter alone and finished with 18 against Spain.
Frieda Bühner wiped away tears while the Spanish players hugged and danced in celebration at Berlin Arena.
“We have to take the pain with us to be better as individual players and as a team,” Leonie Fiebich said as she fought tears while talking to reporters and reflecting on the importance of the game.
“It's unique, it happens only once in a career. I'm super thankful that we could be part of it, the team, the staff, the organization, everything all around it. It was one of the coolest experiences ever. I'll be thinking of it for a long time,” Fiebich said
Germany had been looking for its first medal in the tournament on its second appearance as a unified country including its last time as host in 1998. East Germany finished fourth at the 1967 tournament.
It was Spain’s second victory over Germany after defeating the hosts by 30 points in their opening game – Spain's biggest win over a European team and Germany's heaviest defeat in the competition.
Buoyed by enthusiastic home support, Germany recovered from its opening loss with increasingly impressive wins over Japan, Mali, South Korea and European champion Belgium. Germany was the first team in the tournament to keep France below 90 points with an 86-64 defeat in their semifinal.
“The growth has been very, very positive," said Germany coach Olaf Lange, who had hailed German basketball's "best day” after the win over Belgium.
“We’ve made good progress. Now we have to keep working on ourselves and use this as motivation for the future. We have EuroBasket coming up next year – we have to qualify first – and then the 2028 Olympics. We have to keep going. That’s our motto – keep going – and it doesn’t change today,” Lange said.
Spain was dealt a shock defeat by Mali in its second game but beat Japan to top the group, then defeated Australia in the quarterfinals before a battling 76-66 loss to the United States in their semifinal.
The U.S. was bidding for its fifth straight title when it played France in the final later Sunday.
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Spain's Iyana Martín fouls Germany's Alexis Peterson during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Spain's Maite Cazorla reacts during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Spain's Maite Cazorla and Iyana Martín hug during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Germany's Leonie Fiebich reacts during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Spain's Maite Cazorla and Iyana Martín hug during the Women's Basketball World Cup the third-place match between the Germany and Spain in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
