The Yankees announced several roster moves ahead of today’s game. Outfielder Cody Bellinger has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list as expected. The team also placed lefty Ryan Weathers on the 15-day IL with a left forearm flexor strain and recalled right-hander Brendan Beck from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Weathers started yesterday’s 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays. He was at 71 pitches through the first 3 1/3 innings and was facing Myles Straw with two runners on in the top of the fourth. On his 72nd pitch, Weathers threw an 0-1 sweeper to Straw and appeared to injure himself in the process (video courtesy of MLB.com). After a brief mound visit from manager Aaron Boone and the team trainer, Weathers left the game. Reliever Yerry de los Santos got a pop out from Straw to complete the at-bat.
Weathers’ injury cuts short a strong run of starts in the second half. Including yesterday’s abbreviated effort, the 26-year-old lefty has a 2.27 ERA in seven starts dating back to July 20th. The middle five starts were especially sharp, as Weathers posted a microscopic 0.85 ERA in 31 2/3 innings from July 25th through August 16th. He’s sitting at a 3.60 ERA with an above-average 18.5% K-BB rate in his first season with the Yankees.
Max Fried is reportedly on track for a minimal absence after going on the IL for a left elbow bone bruise. With Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, and Carlos Rodón all healthy, Fried’s return would have forced one of Weathers or Will Warren to the bullpen. Weathers’ recent performance gave him an edge over Warren, though the latter’s rotation spot now appears safe through the rest of the regular season.
For his part, Weathers doesn’t believe his injury is season-ending. Per The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, the lefty felt his injury is not as severe as the one last year with the Marlins, which kept him out of action for a month. Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and others that Weathers won’t throw for 2-4 weeks, but that “there’s a great chance” he returns by the end of the year “in some capacity.” That points to Weathers returning as a reliever for the end of the regular season and the playoffs, with Schlittler, Cole, Fried, and Rodón forming the postseason rotation.
Bellinger returns after a four-week absence due to a left hamstring strain. He has a 119 wRC+ through 434 plate appearances in 2026, which ranks second on the team behind Ben Rice‘s 142 wRC+. Bellinger also has an excellent +19 Defensive Runs Saved in left field, easily leading the league at that position. His return provides a major boost to a Yankees offense that has struggled badly since losing Aaron Judge in early June. New York has just a 78 wRC+ since the All-Star break. Heliot Ramos, filling in for Bellinger in left, hasn’t fared well on either side of the ball since coming over at the deadline.
Photo courtesy of John Jones, Imagn Images
