An eager Ryan Weathers is impressing in Yankees camp
David Weathers pitched for nine franchises over a 19-year career in the big leagues. The right-hander spent most of that time working out of the bullpen, posting a 4.25 ERA (102 ERA+) in 1376.1 IP while collecting 75 saves and striking out 976 batters (6.4 K/9; 16.1 K%). Weathers was largely a league-average pitcher by most metrics, but the reliable reliever carved out a lengthy career in the sport, winning a pair of World Series rings (1991 Blue Jays, 1996 Yankees).
Weathers was a trade deadline addition by the Yankees during the ‘96 season (NY sent right-hander Mark Hutton to the Marlins in return). He struggled during the regular season, posting a 9.25 ERA over 17.1 IP, but was stellar in the postseason, allowing just a single earned run in 11.0 IP. Weathers struggled again the next spring, with a 10.00 ERA over 9.0 IP, before being traded in early June to Cleveland (for outfielder Chad Curtis).
David Weathers’ tenure with the Yankees (totaling a 9.57 ERA in 26.1 IP) was brief, but has become relevant again with his son, Ryan Weathers, being acquired by the Yankees this offseason (from the Marlins for four minor leaguers).
For much of the offseason, the narrative surrounding the Yankees suggested the team was seeking to add an arm to the front of the starting rotation. New York already has a deep roster of pitchers, but with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt all beginning the season on the IL, there was a desire to add depth to the group. Weathers proved to be that addition.
The 26-year-old has shown plenty of promise throughout his career. San Diego used the 7th-overall pick in the 2018 Draft to select the left-hander, and he’d make his debut in the big leagues during the 2020 postseason. Remaining healthy has been a challenge, however, and Weathers has yet to pitch more than 100 innings in a season.
Still, as Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake suggested to SNY’s John Flanigan after the acquisition, there is optimism that Weathers can take things to another level:
“This is an exciting arm. It’s a kid who I’ve been following since high school when we were scouting him in the Amateur Draft, he’s done a nice job of growing into a major league version of himself.
“The biggest thing is just keeping him on the field. We have to do a good job of having a nice onramp for him this spring and keeping him healthy, but an electric arm with a nice arsenal — there’s definitely a ceiling for him he hasn’t touched yet.”
Weathers is already impressing at the Yankees spring camp. He touched 98.5 mph during his first live batting practice session (his fastball averaged 96.9 mph last season). He has also been making an impact on the team’s veteran arms as he’s been “asking lots of questions” of Cole, Rodón, and Max Fried.
“There’s so much knowledge between those three … especially Fried and Rodón being lefties. Fried’s helping me with my breaking ball right now.”
Drop the “Dodgers are bad for baseball” narrative
For years, the Yankees were considered the “villain” in MLB. The “Evil Empire” was the most-hated organization in the sport, largely for its high-spending approach to free agency and its penchant for winning championships. Other teams didn’t want to be the Yankees; they wanted to beat the Yankees.
For the last decade, the Dodgers have taken that mantle. The franchise is outspending every other team, while L.A. has brought home three titles in the last five seasons (2020, 2024, 2025).
Plenty of people around the sport (and in sports media) are trying to convince us that somehow the Dodgers are “bad for baseball”. It’s a narrative that has cropped up frequently over the last few weeks, particularly as the baseball world prepares for what everyone expects will be a contentious labor battle next winter when the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires.
The very idea is nonsense. Baseball thrives when the league has a villain to pursue.
Unsurprisingly, several players around the league are being asked about the Dodgers spending as they arrive at spring training. It’s been a popular subject among many reporters, and the players all appear to support what L.A. has been doing.
Padres third baseman Manny Machado didn’t hold back when asked his thoughts on his team’s division rival (per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers):
“I f***king love it. Every team should be doing it. That sh** is f***king great for the game.”
Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper was even more thorough when asked about the Dodgers by Tim Kelly of OnPattison:
“I mean, I love what the Dodgers do, obviously. I mean, they pay the money, they spend the money. I mean, they’re a great team. They understand how to run it. They run their team like a business, and they run it the right way. They understand where they need to put their money into. But also, people look at this either. Their draft and their development is unbelievable, like they draft and they develop, and then they trade those guys for big name guys, and they can spend the money. So it’s, I don’t know it bothers me when everybody talks about the Dodgers are spending money. No, they draft, they develop, they do it the right way. They understand what it takes to be the best team in baseball.
“And you’ve seen in the last two years, they have so much depth. I mean, it was Will Klein, the kid’s name was, came in through six shoutout innings like, I mean, you’ve seen in Arizona two weeks before, like, they have that type of dynamic on their club, and that’s why they win, and that’s why they win a lot of games each year. So I love what they do. I understand what they do. I understand the madness behind it. But again, like each team at baseball has an opportunity to do the same, the same thing, maybe not the upper echelon of money, but they can draft, they can develop, they can trade. And I just, I think a lot of teams can do that in baseball.”
Naturally, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes was asked what he thought of the comments made by players like Machado and Harper (via Yahoo!’s Jack Vita):
“We’re not looking externally for validation. The validation is winning championships and putting out as good a team as we can each and every year, and all we’re trying to do is get a little bit better each and every season, with the goal of winning championships. Our coaching staff, our players I think view it as that. Good, bad, or indifferent, the external stuff is something we can’t worry about.”
Los Angeles’s big-spending and winning tendencies are not bad for baseball. That nonsensical notion needs to be put to an end.
Baseball has problems, sure, and some (hopefully) will be addressed in the next CBA. Instituting a salary cap is not an answer (and not something the MLBPA will ever accept), but I won’t be surprised to see some significant changes made (perhaps a limit, say 25%, to how much salary can be deferred?).
Around the sport ….
Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony has officially been named as the injury replacement for Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (broken hamate bone) for Team USA’s WBC roster.
Mike Trout, the captain for Team USA during the last WBC, was unable to get insurance approval to join the roster for this year’s tournament.
The Padres announced on Monday that they had signed general manager A.J. Preller to a long-term extension. Specifics on the length and value of the deal were not disclosed. Preller’s original contract was set to expire at the end of the 2026 season.