The New York Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series without Ryan Weathers on the roster. That was the plan. It did not make it any easier for the left-hander to accept.
Weathers threw live batting practice at Yankee Stadium on Monday night while his teammates prepared for Game 1. He knew what the session meant. If he was throwing BP, he was not on the roster.
“The competitor in me didn’t want to throw that live,” Weathers said Friday at Tropicana Field, per the New York Post’s Greg Joyce. “Because I knew it would mean not being on the roster.”
Four days later, he was glad he did.
Why Weathers Stayed Behind
The decision was practical. Weathers had been working his way back from a left forearm flexor strain that shut him down late in the regular season. His buildup was not far enough along to contribute meaningfully in a best-of-three series.
Had the Yankees included him on the Wild Card roster, his workload would have been limited to a single inning at most across the entire round. That was not enough to justify a spot over another arm. So the Yankees kept him off and used the time to get him further along.
“I needed that second live just to sharpen up a little bit more,” Weathers said.
Since Monday, he has thrown an additional bullpen session on Wednesday and continued to build toward full availability. The gap between the Wild Card Series and the ALDS gave him exactly what he needed. Time.
What Changes for the ALDS
The best-of-five format with off days after Games 1, 2, and 4 creates a different picture than the compressed Wild Card round. Weathers does not need to be available every night. He needs to be ready when his name is called, and he believes he is.
“I feel super healthy enough to be on the roster,” Weathers said. “We’ll see where it lands.”
Manager Aaron Boone has said Weathers could play a “massive role” out of the bullpen moving forward.
Boone said Friday the Yankees were debating between 10, 11, or 12 pitchers for the ALDS roster. Adding Weathers as the 11th arm would give the bullpen a left-handed option capable of going multiple innings.
“Hopefully I can be available for a few games of this series,” Weathers said.
Final Word for the Yankees
Ryan Weathers watched the Wild Card Series from the outside. He threw BP while his teammates won. He accepted it because he understood the reasoning.
Now the format is different. The series is longer. The bullpen needs more arms. Weathers has built himself back to the point where he can contribute, and his manager has already said the role could be significant.
The competitor who did not want to throw that live session on Monday might get his chance this weekend.
New York Yankees Get Encouraging Bullpen Update Ahead of ALDS