Weathers Takes First Step Toward Recovery

MINNEAPOLIS — Ryan Weathers is aware that time is of the essence, but he made a significant step on Tuesday in his recovery journey.

The Yankees pitcher, who had been sidelined with a left forearm flexor strain, threw his first bullpen session at Target Field. He sent down 15 pitches, and was pleased with how he felt afterwards.

“I think my velocity was probably a bit firmer than I expected—around 87-90 mph today, which is usually higher than I throw during midweek bullpens,” Weathers noted. “So, overall, everything feels good, the metrics looked solid, and now it’s just about stacking those reps.”

If everything goes smoothly, Weathers is planning to have another bullpen session on Friday, and then he may move on to live batting practice.

With the minor league season wrapping up by Sunday, he won’t have a chance for a rehab assignment, yet he’s pushing to possibly rejoin the Yankees bullpen after facing hitters just once.

Ideally, Weathers would like to be back for a regular-season game to get acclimated before the playoffs, though it’s uncertain if that timeline will work out.

“I know I’ve only had one inning, so my approach is just to go out and throw,” he explained, drawing on his previous relief experience. “That should help me get back, provided I feel good, since I can definitely handle a one-inning or one-plus inning role.”

If he returns in time, Weathers could add some power to the Yankees’ bullpen, alongside Brent Headrick, whose velocity has been tapering off due to heavy usage, and Tim Hill, who has recently been more prone to giving up home runs.

Meanwhile, Clarke Schmidt is expected to be activated off the injured list for Wednesday’s series finale, aiming to make an impact after more than 14 months off due to Tommy John surgery he underwent last July.

Aaron Judge was given a day off on Tuesday after playing four consecutive games. Initially, manager Aaron Boone intended for him to rest on Wednesday, but they decided on Tuesday instead. Following this, he should be good to go as he continues his recovery from a right rib stress fracture.

Additionally, top shortstop prospect Dax Kilby will be part of the Yankees’ roster heading to the Arizona Fall League next month. The 19-year-old, who was their first-round pick last summer, had missed a significant portion of this season due to a hamstring injury.