On an encouraging afternoon of Yankees injury developments — most notably Aaron Judge getting cleared for some light activities — the club also received positive news concerning Clarke Schmidt.
Schmidt, who had to cut short a live batting practice Tuesday because of what he believed and hoped was cramping in his forearm, was informed it indeed “seems like” it was cramping, Aaron Boone said.
“Clarke we feel like is probably good to go,” the manager said before Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Cardinals in The Bronx. “He got a lot of treatment [Tuesday]. The doc didn’t seem overly concerned.”
The Yankees at least felt a level of concern when Schmidt, who is beginning to build up following 2025 Tommy John surgery, felt the discomfort, which prompted him to throw two “innings” rather than three.
The next step for Schmidt, who was not expected to throw Wednesday, will be to play catch Thursday “and then hopefully do his side [session] at some point this weekend,” Boone said.
Without further hiccups, Schmidt could graduate soon into a rehab assignment.
Considering general manager Brian Cashman did not upgrade the bullpen at the trade deadline in part because he felt the club would have internal reinforcements, Schmidt’s eventual return to the staff has grown in importance.
Cody Bellinger, who is a week and a half into what is expected to be a four-to-six-week absence with a hamstring strain, took on-field batting practice for the first time since suffering the injury July 25.
“That was a big step,” said Bellinger, who added that he has been feeling well but lacks a clear return timetable.
Bellinger has been running — though not at full speed — in a straight line and has several more hurdles to clear before he is ready for activation or a rehab assignment.
Heliot Ramos (1-for-3 with a second-inning double) picked up his first hit as a Yankee.
Kervin Castro, Tim Hill and Paul Blackburn combined for 3 ²/₃ scoreless innings.
The bullpen has pitched to a majors-best 2.56 ERA in the past 55 games, holding opponents to a .200 batting average.
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The best Yankees hitter in the past four weeks: Austin Wells.
Since July 9, the catcher has posted a .931 OPS with four home runs in 18 games. The Yankees did not add another catcher at the deadline partly because of the prices and partly because of Wells’ uptick.
“I do feel like over the last few weeks, there’s been some steady improvement,” Boone said before Wells went 1-for-2, “and hopefully moving forward, more in line with the presence I feel like he could be, especially at the bottom of the order. I feel like he’s getting closer to that version.”
