Make New York Post a Preferred Source ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — “The competitor” in Ryan Weathers did not want to throw live batting practice Monday night at Yankee Stadium because he knew it would mean not being on the roster for the AL wild-card series.
Four days later, though, the left-hander was glad he did, because after with the Yankees advanced to in the ALDS, Weathers has a strong chance not only to join the roster but also to pitch more often now that he is slightly more built up after coming back from a left forearm flexor strain late in the regular season.
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“I needed that second live just to sharpen up a little bit more,” Weathers said Friday at Tropicana Field before the Yankees worked out. “I feel super healthy enough to be on [the roster]. We’ll see where it lands [Saturday].”
Aaron Boone was not yet ready to commit to Weathers being on the roster — or any roster decisions, for that matter — though the manager said earlier in the week that the lefty could play a “massive role” out of the bullpen moving forward.
If Weathers had been included on the wild-card roster, he might have been able to throw only one inning the entire series, even if it went to three games.
New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers throws a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 22, 2026, at Yankee Stadium. Jason Szenes for the New York Post Now, after getting a second live batting practice (on Monday) and an additional bullpen session (on Wednesday) under his belt, he could be in a position to pitch more often in the ALDS, especially with off days after Games 1, 2 and 4.
“Hopefully I can be available for a few games of this series,” he said.
Boone indicated the Yankees were debating carrying 10, 11 or 12 pitchers. That could mean Weathers becoming the 11th pitcher or potentially replacing another lefty in Ryan Yarbrough, though Yarbrough’s length could be valuable, especially with Carlos Rodón no longer expected to be an option out of the bullpen now that he is set to start Game 3 or 4.
The Yankees had a travel snafu getting here during Thursday’s off day, which Boone categorized as “first-world problems.”
New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez during the third inning of a baseball game at Yankee Stadium on July 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post They were originally scheduled to fly out of Westchester County Airport and arrived there around 2:30 p.m. But because of a hydraulics issue, according to Boone, they were delayed and then had to get off the plane around 8 p.m. to drive to LaGuardia Airport, where they boarded another charter and did not get to their hotel until around 1 a.m.
“We drove further away from Tampa and then worked our way closer back to Tampa, and then we flew to Tampa,” said Game 1 starter Gerrit Cole, adding that they killed time with “cards, conversations, ribbing each other, video games, doom scrolling.”
“It was a cluster,” Weathers added with a laugh. “It was a long day.”
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The Rays are declining to reveal their rotation beyond Drew Rasmussen starting Game 1 on Saturday. Their options to follow him include ex-Met Freddy Peralta, Fordham’s Nick Martinez, Griffin Jax and lefty Ian Seymour.
“I feel like our five starters throughout the course of the year deserve to pitch a really big role in this,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “How we’re going to line them up will be dependent on how we get through Game 1.”
