Yankees' Boone - TJ surgery for Schmidt 'pretty much inevitable' - ESPN

NEW YORK — Clarke Schmidt is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Saturday, ending the burgeoning right-hander's season and delivering another severe setback to the club's starting rotation.

An MRI exam Friday revealed the ulnar collateral ligament in Schmidt's right elbow was torn. Schmidt underwent the exam after exiting his start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday after just three innings because of the discomfort.

Boone said Schmidt is getting other opinions on the elbow, but surgery is «pretty much inevitable.»

It would be Schmidt's second Tommy John surgery — he underwent the procedure in 2017 — and it would sideline him for most, if not all, of next season. Schmidt, 29, a first-round pick in 2017, had a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts this season.

«Not great news on that front, obviously,» Boone said before the Yankees took on the Mets at Citi Field. «So we'll see what goes on here in the next couple of days.»

After Thursday's game, Schmidt said he had been dealing with elbow soreness since his start on June 4, which delayed the recovery between his next five outings. On Friday, Boone said the concern level had not been high enough to warrant tests — Schmidt didn't give up a run in 20⅔ innings over his next three starts, including a seven no-hit innings on June 21 — until the pain was too much to pitch through on Thursday.

«That's part of being a pitcher in the league,» Boone said. «You're going to have those days, those weeks when it's a little bit of a struggle. It doesn't always rise to jumping in the MRI.»

Schmidt is the fourth Yankees starter to land on the injured list this season. Ace right-hander Gerrit Cole underwent Tommy John surgery in March. Luis Gil, the reigning