The New York Yankees‘ big trade in the offseason was acquiring left-hander Ryan Weathers from the Miami Marlins. The Yankees dealt a package of four prospects to Miami to bolster their rotation, which had injuries to Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon.
In hindsight, the trade has gone about as well as it could have for the Yankees. In 10 starts, the left-hander has a 3.14 ERA with 65 strikeouts to 16 walks over 57 innings. His efforts have kept the rotation stable without their veteran starters.
On MLB Network, MLB insider Joel Sherman dropped the five most impactful trades of the offseason. The Yankees’ acquisition of Weathers ranked third.
“They traded for Ryan Weathers, who has been really good for them so far this year,” said Sherman.
Ryan Weathers Has Stabilized the Yankees’ Rotation in 2026
The Yankees entered the 2026 season knowing they’d be without Cole and Rodon to begin the season. 2024 American League Rookie of the Year winner Luis Gil has battled injuries throughout his career, including a lengthy absence in 2025. That left their rotation with a lot of questions, so general manager Brian Cashman was aggressive in solving that issue.
The Ryan Weathers trade not only serves the short-term need for the beginning of 2026, but also gives the Yankees a rotation option through the 2029 season. Even as Cole and Rodon have since returned, Weathers has proven to be indispensable depth. His presence has helped minimize the impact of Max Fried’s elbow injury.
In addition to the Weathers trade, Cam Schlittler and Will Warren have elevated the rotation. Entering play on May 29, the Yankees’ rotation has the best ERA (2.98), second-best FIP (3.22), fifth-most innings (308.1), and the most fWAR (7.5). Even as the unit has never been at full strength at any point this season, they’ve continued to produce.
Ryan Weathers Could Be Part of Yankees Bullpen Solution
There will be some tough decisions if they do get to full strength with the rotation. Weathers would likely head for the bullpen once Fried returns from his injury.
“The one thing to keep in mind is Weathers has never thrown big innings in the major leagues, never over 100,” said Sherman.
That move could potentially solve two issues. The first is managing Weathers’ season workload in terms of innings while also addressing a potential issue with their bullpen.
Another reason to potentially consider moving Weathers to the bullpen is to prepare him for the postseason. The left-hander is almost certain to get bumped out of the rotation anyway, so they can get a head start on his potential postseason role.
“That is not terrible news for the Yankees. First of all, he’s holding his stuff so far and seems to be getting better as the season goes along. But the Yankees’ biggest problem this season is their bullpen. And I keep thinking the overflow of their rotation is ultimately going to solve that.”
Adding Weathers to the bullpen gives the Yankees a high-velocity left-hander, with an average four-seamer velo just under 96 MPH. That’s something their bullpen currently lacks. Brent Headrick averages just over 94 MPH while Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough are soft-tossers.
Yankees’ Biggest Offseason Move Looking Better Than Ever