Video summary
Clarke Schmidt addresses concerns regarding his recent discomfort during bullpen warm-ups, clarifying that the sensation was not indicative of any structural injury to his shoulder or elbow. Following his recovery from Tommy John surgery, he emphasizes a cautious approach to ensure he does not push through potential issues before the playoffs. Despite feeling strong and performing well in catch play earlier in the day, Schmidt experienced a minor, localized cramping feeling deep within his bicep area. He notes that while this sensation was frustrating given his hard-fought return to competition, it ultimately provided relief by confirming that he avoided any worst-case scenarios that might have required significant time off.
Schmidt confirms that there are no plans for additional testing such as MRIs at this stage, stating that all previous medical evaluations came back fine and that he feels ready to proceed without further diagnostic intervention. He acknowledges the natural tendency for minor issues to arise when returning from major surgery, especially with the high stakes of the postseason approaching. Rather than viewing this incident as a setback, he frames it as a precautionary measure that allows him to play smart and safely navigate the remainder of the season. His focus remains on being able to compete soon, and he expresses gratitude that the issue appears to be manageable without needing to step back from his routine.
The discussion highlights Schmidt's resilience and realistic mindset as he balances the desire to perform with the necessity of protecting his body after extensive rehabilitation. He reflects on how frustrating it is to feel anything different during a comeback but also appreciates the opportunity to address these minor concerns before they escalate. By maintaining open communication with medical staff and listening to his body, he aims to ensure a smooth transition back to full strength. Ultimately, Schmidt remains optimistic about his timeline for returning to the field, confident that this precautionary pause will not hinder his long-term goals or performance capabilities.
Read the full video transcript
Claire, can you kind of just take us
through what you were feeling there in
the bullpen as you're warming up?
>> Yeah, nothing like structural. It was
more like precautionary.
Um, obviously given the circumstance
coming back from a surgery, I don't want
to like push through anything, but yeah,
all the testing was fine. No, nothing
with the shoulder, nothing with the
elbow. So, it was more just like like a
cramping type feeling. I had nothing,
you know, early on in catch play earlier
today and in the previous days, I've
been feeling very strong. So just kind
of very very minor just precautionary.
>> Do you anticipate any additional testing
at all when you get back or you think
you're good to go?
>> I wouldn't. Yeah, we don't have any
testing schedule. No like MRI or
anything like that. I think maybe see
the doc at some point when we're at
home, but nothing where you know we're
going into MRI or anything like that.
>> You've battled so hard to to kind of get
back. Just how frustrating is it to have
anything at all pop up and feel a little
different?
>> Yeah, frustrating obviously. I mean I
think um frustrating but also relieving
to know that you kind of avoid the worst
or you know any a situation where it's
like oh okay you know you have to you
know take some time down but you know it
seems like all best case scenario right
now. So I'm thankful for that and
obviously very frustrating. I want to be
able to be out there and competing but
um in the grand scheme I think you know
we'll be out there soon.
>> Where was the cramp?
>> Uh very localized to like bicep like
right in the bicep. Do you think this is
all related to the warming up yesterday
and just the the load of back toback
days?
>> Uh I mean I don't I don't want to say
yes just because um you know I played
catch earlier today felt great and um
like I said I've been feeling good the
past few days and um nothing like
standing out where I'm like oh this kind
of led to this. It was kind of very like
deeper into my warmup. I was like oh
this feels like a cramping type feeling
um in the bicep area like very
localized. something where if you
weren't coming back with Tommy John, you
would have felt the need to say
something.
>> Yeah, that's probably like that
definitely goes into it. You know, like
coming back, like I said, coming back
from a surgery, you obviously, you know,
towards the end of the year, you want to
be be smart, especially with playoffs
coming around the corner. So, it's like
just all precautionary stuff. Nothing
where I was like, you know, oh, I can't,
you know, perform with this. So, um,
definitely I think you know coming back
from a surgery you have stuff pop up and
so this probably falls in line with