If Ryan Weathers had made his regularly scheduled start on Thursday, it would have been a lesser version — literally.
The Yankees lefty said he lost 9 pounds in two days due to an illness that caused him “pretty much.” [throw] “Gutted me for several hours”, prompting the club to omit it from the end of the series against Rangers and include Paul Blackburn instead.
According to Weathers, he didn’t feel good during his last start — when he allowed three runs (one earned) in five innings in a win over the Orioles on Saturday — and went home thinking he had food poisoning.
The vomiting was severe. He said he then woke up on Sunday with a 102-degree fever and spent the next few days in bed.
He wasn’t sure what he had contracted — “something viral” — and it was gone by Tuesday, when he returned to the team after two days during which he didn’t eat much food or fluid. He had an IV on Wednesday and went through a full workout and will now resume his routine.
He is expected to throw a sideline session on Friday and will likely take the mound on Monday to start the series in Baltimore.
“My arm feels really good,” Weathers said after the Yankees’ 6-1 loss to the Rangers in the Bronx on Wednesday. “It’s been weird. That’s what’s been frustrating — my body still feels strong, my arms still feel great. So this was one of the weirdest illnesses I’ve ever had.”
An X-ray taken of Jose Caballero’s left elbow came back negative, and the player believes he is able to play on Thursday.
Caballero was hit hard in the third period and appeared to be in a lot of pain but stayed in the game.
“He kind of put it in the right spot,” head coach Aaron Boone said of Caballero, whose elbow was swollen.
Yerry De los Santos’ reward for holding the Rangers over 3¹/₃ scoreless innings in which he allowed one hit and one walk while striking out five: sending him back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre so the club could call up a different reliever in the morning.
Reinforcements are coming: Carlos Rodon is expected to return to his spot in the rotation on Sunday, when the Yankees close out a series in Milwaukee, after completing a rehab stint on Tuesday.
The Yankees demoted Elmer Rodriguez after Tuesday’s win, and Rodon will join the group that consists of Max Fried, Cam Schlittler and Will Warren Weathers with Gerrit Cole returning in the next few weeks.
In three rehab starts, Rodon built up 85 pitches and pitched to a 3.38 ERA with 16 strikeouts and three walks in 16 innings.
“I feel like he was throwing the ball well,” Boone said of Rodon, who was credited with six earned runs in 6¹/₃ innings with SWB in his last tune-up. “He’s starting to get his stuff under control. I feel like he’s ready.”
Rodon expanded his arsenal and became a five-pitch pitcher during his All-Star season in 2025. He used all those pitches on Tuesday, when his velocity was much lower than last season (his four-pitch velocity averaged 93.3 mph), but he will certainly feel more energy and adrenaline on the big-league mound.
“We feel like he’s ready to go,” Boone said of Rodon, who will return from elbow surgery to remove bone chips.
Boone said Cole will need “at least two more rounds” of rehab before he’s ready.
The Yankees have been more cautious with the ace, who is on the rise slowly after Tommy John surgery. Cole has made four relievers so far, Tuesday allowing five runs on seven hits and no walks in 4¹/₃ innings with High-A Hudson Valley.
“He fills the offensive zone, scores about 98-99 seconds [mph]“I think there was a lot of good,” Boone said [Tuesday]. He’s been beaten up a few times, which isn’t a bad thing. It works on different things I think every time.
“I really like where it is.”
Ben Rice was out of the starting lineup for the third consecutive match after suffering a bruise in his left hand on Sunday.
Boone said he hoped Rice would be available off the bench, but Rice was not used. At this point, Boone said he doesn’t think Rice will need a stint on the IL.
Paul Goldschmidt started at first base and went 0-for-3.
Boone didn’t think Giancarlo Stanton would start running back on Wednesday.
Stanton, eligible for activation from the IL, did not begin his running routine after suffering what the club described as a low-grade strain in his right calf.
Before the game, Fried earned his fourth Gold Glove and first as a Yankee.
Anna Gould, who was the 2025 Athletes Unlimited League Rookie of the Year, threw the ceremonial first pitch.