Yankees Pitcher Ryan Weathers Advances Rehab, Eyes Playoff Return

Ryan Weathers, a left-handed pitcher for the Yankees, has taken a significant step in his recovery from a left forearm flexor strain by throwing his first bullpen session on Tuesday. The session, held at Target Field, involved 15 pitches where Weathers utilized his full repertoire. He reported feeling positive about the outing, noting that his velocity was even higher than expected for this stage of his rehab.

"Probably a little firmer [velocity] than I wanted it to be, honestly — was like 87-90 [mph] today, which is usually higher than I am when I’m throwing my midweek bullpens," Weathers said. "So everything’s in a good spot, metrics were good, so just stacking reps now."

If his recovery continues to progress well, Weathers plans to throw another bullpen session on Friday, with the potential to advance to live batting practice thereafter. Due to the minor league season concluding on Sunday, he will not have the opportunity for a formal rehab assignment. Despite this, Weathers is focused on accelerating his return and potentially rejoining the Yankees bullpen, even if it means pitching in a limited capacity initially.

Weathers expressed a preference for pitching in at least one regular-season game before the playoffs to regain his timing, though the feasibility of this remains uncertain. "I know I got one inning, [so] go out there and let your stuff rip," said Weathers, who has prior experience pitching in relief. "It kind of helps me hopefully be able to get back, as long as everything feels good, knowing I can serve in a one-inning, one-plus-inning role."

His potential return could provide the Yankees' bullpen with a valuable left-handed arm, adding depth alongside pitchers like Brent Headrick and Tim Hill. The team is also preparing for the activation of Clarke Schmidt from the injured list for Wednesday's series finale, who is looking to make an impact in the bullpen after a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery. Separately, Aaron Judge received a day off on Tuesday and is expected to be fully cleared to play after recovering from a right rib stress fracture.

In other team news, top shortstop prospect Dax Kilby is slated to participate in the Arizona Fall League next month. The 19-year-old missed a significant portion of the current season due to a hamstring injury.