Weathers Navigates New Fatherhood and Baseball
HOUSTON — Austin Wells, a recent first-time father, likely had some understanding of the whirlwind Ryan Weathers experienced this past week, just days after the birth of his son.
“I still have some time before I’m back on the field in full swing,” Wells remarked, highlighting how he became a father during the offseason. “So, Weathers might just miss out on some of the festivities.”
Despite the chaos of the past week, Weathers delivered exactly what the Yankees needed.
The left-handed pitcher managed to rush back from Boston on Wednesday to witness the birth of his son, Paul David Weathers, and then took a flight to Houston on Friday. He went on to pitch 5 1/3 innings, allowing just two runs, leading the Yankees to an 8-3 win against the Astros.
“It was a whirlwind, but it all worked out,” Weathers shared, having notched four strikeouts without allowing any walks. “Both my son and his mom are doing well, so being back on the field felt great.”
Weathers’ wife, Thayer, was initially set to give birth on Saturday, but she received an early morning call about her water breaking on Wednesday at 4:30 a.m. He quickly grabbed a ride back to New York from Boston, arriving at 9:47 a.m. — just in time for his son’s birth at 10:04 a.m.
“I basically had a mere 10 minutes before he arrived,” Weathers chuckled. “We made it right on time. It was all so fast.”
In the following days, Weathers noted that his wife was able to rest quite a bit with their newborn snuggled on her chest.
“It’s a memory I’ll treasure forever,” he said, adding, “I hope he stays this small for a long while.”
On the work front, Weathers reported to Yankee Stadium on Thursday for a bullpen session and was able to play catch again on Friday.
By Saturday, he had transitioned from new father to major league pitcher, facing a challenging batting order.
“At the end of the day, it’s my job,” he acknowledged. “I have to get out there and deliver. With everything happening right now, my focus is to pitch well and help the team secure wins.”
