The latest Ryan Weathers injury update revealed that the left-hander suffered a forearm flexor strain, prompting the New York Yankees to place him on the 15-day IL. At this crucial point in the season, Aaron Boone told reporters he remains optimistic about his pitcher’s recovery and hopes Weathers can return in some capacity before the end of the season.
“Hopefully, it’s on the shorter end of that (no-throw period), and we ramp him back up to be a factor for us by the end,” Boone stated. Weathers has played a key role in the Yankees’ rotation, providing much-needed stability at this crucial point of the season.
After learning about his injury, the player himself offered an optimistic outlook on the situation. “I had a similar injury at the end of Spring Training last year with the Marlins. [Saturday’s] scans were less than what it was last year. [The doctor] said that the elbow looked really healthy. It’s almost not a Grade 1 strain; it’s very low grade. It’s more just irritated than anything.“
Why do the Yankees need Weathers?
Ryan Weathers has quietly been a massive glue guy for the Yankees‘ rotation this year. Over 25 starts, the southpaw has racked up career highs with 137.1 innings pitched and 143 strikeouts, pitching to a solid 3.60 ERA.
yan Weathers #40 of the New York Yankees leaves the game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
He was absolute money right after the All-Star break too, posting a filthy 2.27 ERA in his last seven outings. Having Carlos Rodon healthy and back on the bump definitely softens the blow and keeps the rotation afloat, but losing Weathers’ current form right as the postseason push heats up is definitely going to hurt depth-wise.
New York’s final stretch of the season
Aaron Boone’s Bronx Bombers are gearing up for a crucial final stretch as they sit second in the AL East with a solid 74-56 record, trailing the Tampa Bay Rays by 3.0 games. With just 32 games left in the regular season, the schedule ramps up big time.
They kick off a key home stand at Yankee Stadium against the Houston Astros, followed immediately by a high-stakes four-game division clash against the Boston Red Sox. After that, they head out on a tough West Coast road trip to take on the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres before returning home.
