Yankees Place Ryan Weathers on 15-Day IL After Left Forearm Flexor Strain

Southpaw Ryan Weathers enters the 15-day injured list with a left forearm flexor strain following a 3 1/3-inning start against Toronto.

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees placed left-handed starter Ryan Weathers on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a left forearm flexor strain. The move follows his exit from Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he surrendered two runs and eight hits across 3 1/3 innings. During that outing, the 26-year-old threw a sweeper out of the strike zone to Myles Straw in the fourth inning before signaling for catcher Austin Wells. Weathers, who initially felt discomfort while facing Daz Cameron and rookie Charles McAdoo, currently holds a 5-8 record with a 3.60 ERA through 25 starts this season.

Manager Aaron Boone confirmed the pitcher will not throw for two to four weeks while awaiting consultation with team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. Despite the setback, Weathers remains optimistic about returning before the 2026 season concludes, noting that recent scans revealed the damage is less severe than a similar injury he sustained during spring training with the Miami Marlins last year. To fill the roster vacancy, the Yankees recalled Brendan Beck from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Beck previously debuted on May 7 against the Texas Rangers and allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings during a July 4 spot start against the Minnesota Twins.

Statistical Breakdown and Performance Trends

Weathers has established new career highs this year with 143 strikeouts and 137 1/3 innings pitched. His performance shifted significantly after the All-Star break; he posted a 3-7 record and a 4.15 ERA in his first 18 starts but improved to 2-1 with a 2.27 ERA over his last seven appearances. Home run suppression has been a key factor in this improvement, as he allowed 16 long balls in 97 2/3 innings before the break compared to just two homers in 39 2/3 innings during his recent stretch.

Before the injury, the son of former New York reliever David Weathers was stabilizing a rotation that has seen significant turnover. The left-hander joined the club via a January trade with Miami following two injury-plagued campaigns. In 2025, his season debut was delayed until May 14 by a strained left flexor, and he subsequently missed time between June 7 and Sept. 11 due to a strained left lat.

Rotation Challenges and Injury History

Weathers is the fourth Yankees starting pitcher to land on the injured list this season. The rotation has already managed the absence of Gerrit Cole, who missed the first 51 games before his May 22 return from elbow ligament reconstruction. Max Fried remains sidelined for the second time this year with a bone bruise in his left elbow, and Carlos Rodón has served two separate stints on the IL for left elbow issues.

Boone described the diagnosis as "good news" in the big picture, hoping to utilize the southpaw in some capacity during the postseason. Weathers emphasized that he chose to exit the game voluntarily to avoid a more serious vulnerability, stating he could have continued pitching but prioritized being available for September.

Roster Adjustments and Medical Outlook

The Yankees concluded their three-game series against Toronto on Sunday while the medical staff focused on letting the pitcher's forearm "calm down." The two-to-four-week shutdown period is intended to prevent further strain to the flexor. Brendan Beck, the replacement, provides immediate length for the bullpen or a potential spot start. Weathers’ current 3.60 ERA remains a career-best mark as the team monitors his recovery timeline for a potential late-September activation.