Ryan Weathers wasn’t born yet when his father, David, won the 1996 World Series with the Yankees, but he’s heard the stories.
Earlier this week, Weathers had just wrapped up a bullpen and sat in the sauna before crashing onto his couch when the phone rang. It was Peter Bendix, GM of the Marlins, telling him he’d just been traded to the Yankees, bringing him another step down the same path his father walked in the big leagues.
“We’ve had weird, similar paths to New York,” Weathers said, “having both been with the Marlins, then going to the Yankees. He still says that in ‘96, when he got that big punchout, it’s the loudest he’s ever heard Yankee Stadium.”
He’s not overstating anything here, it really was a big punchout. In Game 6 of the 1996 World Series at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees were up 3-1 in the sixth when Chipper Jones doubled to lead off the inning. Weathers’ father, David, was brought in behind Jimmy Key to face Javy López, who he struck out with a breaking ball. Now, 30 years later, the younger Weathers gets to chase his own moment in The Bronx.
You can hear it in Weathers’ voice, the genuine excitement to be putting on the pinstripes. This means something more to the 26-year-old, an opportunity to relaunch his career after injuries limited him to just eight starts last season with the Marlins.
The Yankees need him, too. This rotation will slowly get stronger as the season stretches on, but Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt will all open the season on the IL as they rehab from surgeries. Rodón likely returns early in the season, Cole in May or June and Schmidt later in the season if all goes well, but in the meantime, Weathers is one of many starters who will need to step up. There’s a massive opportunity sitting in front of him now.
“I talked to Cashman, talked to Boonie. It was just pure shock,” Weathers said. “I just couldn’t believe that the New York Yankees were a team that I could ever have a chance to play for.”
Like so many others with big league bloodlines, Weathers’ relationship with his father isn’t all about how to grip his two-seamer and which pitches to throw in a 2-2 count. Growing up around the Major Leagues can demystify the big stage and the bright lights, which helped Weathers deal with adversity and the expectations of being the No. 7 overall pick in 2018. He’s already been traded before, too, from the Padres to the Marlins in 2023. All of those clubhouse lessons keep following him around, especially from his father’s days with the Reds later in his career, when Ryan was growing up and “just wanted to hit bombs in the outfield.”
“I remember being in the locker room and Joey Votto being in the corner. I remember Ken Griffey Jr.,” Weathers said. “Cincinnati is what I remember the most. I just remember pops taking me to the field every day. I know when his arm was hurting, he’d still throw me BP.”
A healthy Weathers is incredibly valuable to the Yankees. That’s why New York put together a package of prospects that included outfielder Brendan Jones, outfielder Dillon Lewis, infielder Dylan Jasso and infielder Juan Matheus. Jones (No. 15), Lewis (No. 16) and Jasso (No. 23) were all ranked among the Yankees’ top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.
Weathers has worked to “lengthen” his lat muscle and back through training, which were problem areas for him in 2025, and he’s excited about the progress he’s made. His career high in innings came as a rookie back in 2021 (94 2/3), so that’s worth monitoring as the season goes on, but his first assignment is to help get this Yankees rotation through the early days. Soon, he and pitching coach Matt Blake will start diving into new ideas.
“We’re going to get into it more in the coming days, but it’s probably more of a usage adjustment, especially against left-handed batters,” Weathers said. “I don’t feel like I’m utilizing my two-seamer as much, where it could open up the zone a little bit for my four-seamer and my sweeper.”
The talent is obvious, though. Weathers owns a 3.74 ERA over 24 starts in the past two seasons and comes with club control through the 2028 season. His father set a high bar with that “big punchout,” but now Weathers has his own shot to make Yankee Stadium roar.
