The New York Yankees designated utility player Oswaldo Cabrera for assignment on Wednesday to clear a 40-man roster spot for right-hander Clarke Schmidt, who returns from the 60-day injured list after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, the Yankees announced official roster moves that reshaped their depth ahead of the postseason push. The organization removed Cabrera from the 40-man roster, sending the switch-hitter into the seven-day DFA limbo window where he can be traded, place him on outright waivers, or release him.
Yankees Roster Moves 9 16 26
The move directly accommodated the return of Clarke Schmidt from the 60-day injured list. Schmidt missed the entire season following his second Tommy John surgery, which he underwent 14 months ago at age 30. Before his injury, he was 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts in 2025.
With the Yankees’ rotation seemingly set approaching the postseason, Schmidt is likely to pitch out of the bullpen. In parts of six seasons, Schmidt has appeared in 97 games (67 starts) for New York. He has a 23-24 record with two saves and a 3.82 ERA over 393 1/3 career innings.
During his minor league rehab assignment, Schmidt made five rehab assignments between Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Somerset, where he gave up three runs on six hits in seven innings.
Yankees reinstate RHP Clarke Schmidt from 60-day IL
The New York Yankees have designated INF/OF Oswaldo Cabrera for assignment, putting one of the organization’s more familiar utility options into DFA limbo. The club announced Wednesday that it had designated infielder/outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera for assignment, and the Yankees de Nueva York announced, de manera oficial, que han designado para asignación al súper utility venezolano, para de esta manera hacer espacio en su roster de 40. Cabrera, 27, has filled a utility role with the Yankees dating back to the 2023 season. The switch-hitter has been up and down between Triple-A Scranton and the Bronx since his debut, though he missed the bulk of the 2025 season following a gruesome injury suffered while tagging on a sacrifice fly. Cabrera avoided a Cal Raleigh tag at home plate and managed to score on Aaron Judge’s fly to right field, but he snapped his ankle in the process. A clearly injured Cabrera laid in a heap at home plate, pounding the dirt in agony. Testing revealed that he not only suffered a terrible fractura de tobillo en 2025.
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Cabrera had been at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the Yankees optioned him in July. The club’s official transaction log tracks his movement between the Major League roster and Triple-A this season. On Feb. 16, 2026, New York Yankees outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera prepares for a spring training drill at George M. Steinbrenner Field, with a credit to Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect. Cabrera’s versatility has long been his calling card, as he has covered the infield and corner outfield during his Yankees tenure, giving the club a player who could fill several spots when injuries forced changes.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Yankees have sent one of the most beloved players in their organization packing. Oswaldo Cabrera was designated for assignment Wednesday to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for the Yankees to activate Clarke Schmidt off the 60-day injured list. The 27-year-old utilityman still has another minor league option remaining after this season, increasing his value. Cabrera played three games for the Yankees this season, but has spent most of it at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after finishing off his comeback from a grueling broken ankle that he suffered on a slide home last May in Seattle. The Venezuelan had been in the organization since 2016 and made his MLB debut in 2022.
The Yankees designated Cabrera for assignment Wednesday. A spot on the 40-man roster was needed for the return of Clarke Schmidt (elbow) from the 60-day injured list.
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