New York – The Yankees have weathered an avalanche of injuries during the 2025 season. Several key players are still on the injured list (IL), but outfielder Aaron Judge and right‑hander Luis Gil are progressing toward early‑August returns, while multiple pitchers are recovering from elbow surgeries. Here’s a position‑by‑position look at who’s hurt, what happened and when Yankees fans can expect to see them back.
Aaron Judge – flexor strain in right elbow
- Injury/IL date – flexor strain in his throwing elbow; placed on the 10‑day IL on 27 July, retroactive to 26 July
- Status – Judge has received a platelet‑rich plasma (PRP) injection and is prohibited from throwing for about two weeks. Yankees manager Aaron Boone plans to bring him back initially as a designated hitter when he becomes eligible on 5 August.
- Projected return – early August; he could start swinging a bat before the end of July.
Luis Gil – right lat strain
- Injury/IL date – upper‑right lat strain; placed on the 60‑day IL on 24 March.
- Status – the hard‑throwing Yankees right‑hander began a minor‑league rehab assignment on 13 July and was scheduled for a fourth rehab start on 29 July. His previous rehab outing on 23 July lasted 3⅓ innings (five runs) and 67 pitches.
- Projected return – early August if his shoulder responds well.
Clarke Schmidt – Tommy John surgery (internal‑brace)
- Injury/IL date – ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear; went on the 15‑day IL on 4 July.
- Status – underwent internal‑brace Tommy John surgery on 11 July. Schmidt said on 28 July that the procedure was not a full reconstruction, and doctors estimate an 11‑ to 13‑month recovery. This is his second TJ surgery for the Yankees pitcher, with the previous one taking place at the University of South Carolina.
- Projected return – late 2026 or early 2027.
Gerrit Cole – right elbow ligament reconstruction
- Injury/IL date – complete UCL tear in his right elbow; the Yankees ace moved to the 60‑day IL on 22 March.
- Status – Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed a season‑ending Tommy John surgery with an internal brace on 11 March. Cole announced on 5 May that he planned to resume throwing in August and the Yankees expect a 14‑month recovery.
- Projected return – mid‑ or late‑2026.
Jake Cousins – right UCL tear
- Injury/IL date – torn UCL; placed on the 60‑day IL on 27 March.
- Status – underwent reconstructive Tommy John surgery on 18 June after suffering a tear during a rehab assignment. It was the second elbow surgery for the Yankees reliever in three years.
- Projected return – sometime in 2026 or later.
Chase Hampton – Tommy John surgery
- Injury/IL date – UCL and flexor strain; underwent surgery in February.
- Status – continuing to rehab; the Yankees hope he could return in May or June 2026.
Ryan Yarbrough – right oblique strain
- Injury/IL date – right oblique strain; placed on the IL on 20 June.
- Status – resumed throwing on 9 July and began playing long toss, but the Yankees star had not yet progressed to throwing off a mound as of 22 July. Yarbrough threw a bullpen session on 28 July and is expected to make one more rehab outing before being considered for activation.
- Projected return – sometime in August or early September.
Fernando Cruz – left oblique strain
- Injury/IL date – left oblique strain; placed on the IL on 30 June.
- Status – resumed a throwing program on 20 July but is progressing slowly because the oblique has not fully healed. The Yankees star told coaches he felt “awesome” after his latest session.
- Projected return – August/September.
Mark Leiter Jr. – left fibular head stress fracture
- Injury/IL date – stress fracture near the knee; placed on the 15‑day IL on 8 July (retroactive to 7 July).
- Status – resumed throwing on 18 July and targeted a bullpen session during the 21–23 July series in Toronto. The Yankees star will likely face live hitters during the first week of August, then begin a minor‑league rehab assignment.
- Projected return – mid‑August.
Oswaldo Cabrera
Oswaldo Cabrera – fractured left ankle; surgery performed 15 May. Manager Aaron Boone said it is “probably unlikely” the infielder returns this season. He uses a scooter and a protective boot during rehabilitation.
Schmidt’s Yankees return only in mid-2026
Clarke Schmidt has offered his first detailed update since undergoing Tommy John surgery—and it brings a mix of realism and hope for the Yankees.
Speaking with Yankees insider Max Goodman, Schmidt confirmed that he underwent the internal brace version of the Tommy John procedure, rather than the traditional full ligament reconstruction. This modern surgical approach—frequently used on younger pitchers—typically comes with a faster recovery timeline, trimming several months off the standard 14–16 month rehab window.
Schmidt said he’s targeting an 11–13 month return, which, if successful, would position him for a midseason comeback in 2026.
“Very encouraged by that,” Schmidt told Goodman. “I’ll be a factor next year.”
The right-hander isn’t making bold promises—just expressing confidence grounded in months of discomfort, diagnosis, and a carefully considered decision. His 2025 season was cut short after posting a 3.32 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and 73 strikeouts across 78⅔ innings, a breakout stretch that had cemented him as a reliable middle-rotation arm before the elbow injury surfaced
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