Weathering With You

 

It should be concerning that I'm going into a Yankees season going 'look at Ryan Weathers', but, with the way things have worked out, Ryan Weathers might be a major factor in the Yankees' rotation this year. That's right, Ryan Weathers, the guy who couldn't find a job pitching in San Diego, then got a prime seat for one in Miami and whenever he got the chance immediately got hurt, is a favorite to be a mid to late rotation arm for the New York Yankees. If you think that means we're doomed, you're not paying attention.

It has been made clear that the Yankees will be without Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt for a little while, and Carlos Rodon for at least the first few weeks of the season. Three really important pieces not joining you from the jump. So that requires rotation depth. However, as established last year, that's something we have now. We have Will Warren, who made all his starts last year in a season where he wasn't even a lock for the rotation, and we have Cam Schlittler, who had a phenomenal rookie stretch and some incredible postseason appearances. Like the Dodgers, we have contingency plans for injured starters. And it's very fitting that one of them, Ryan Weathers, is himself an oft-injured starter. 

So starting the season, the Yankees will be going with Max Fried, Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers. People are writing this rotation off because it seems like a No. 2 guy and four No. 5 guys. It's not. Gil can go deep, and certainly did in 2024. Last year he was a little more human, he was due for a down year. Schlittler is on his way to ace status and will probably improve further in a full season of work. Warren, like Gil, can eat innings and go deep, and certainly strike people out. And Weathers, when healthy, is a good guy to have around. In 16 games in 2024, he had a 3.63 ERA, 80 Ks and a 1.177 WHIP. So far in Spring Training he's gotten into some trouble with the Mets but he still looks like a solid option. 

I think the perceived step down is just because it's an untested, lower-key rotation. There's no Gerrit Cole to fall back on. And I realize that the Jays will be coming in with Dylan Cease, the Red Sox now have Ranger Suarez, and the Orioles have Shane Baz, but I still think the Yankees have enough of a lineup to stay in the race until the hurt starters come back. They kept Cody Bellinger for a reason, and he really works in New York. We're also gonna see how Jose Caballero, Jasson Dominguez, Jazz Chisholm and Ben Rice do with eyes on them. 

I think about it this way: when the Yankees come in looking big, that's when they fall. That's when they embarrass themselves. They need to earn the status and get there without the big expectation, and then build on that. I think they can do this, but they need to convince people. 

And then who knows. Maybe Spencer Jones eventually makes an appearance and dials things to the next level.