ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Yankees got a power lefty boost to their bullpen for the AL Division Series.
Ryan Weathers was added to the roster to face the Rays after the Yankees left him off the American League wild-card series to give him more time to ramp up from a left forearm flexor strain that sidelined him for the final month of the regular season.
The left-hander, who pitched to a 3.60 ERA in 25 starts this season, is coming back as a reliever, likely limited to one or possibly one-plus innings at a time. But he still offers real value for the Yankees, with manager Aaron Boone saying earlier this week he could play a “massive role” the deeper they get in the postseason.
New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers reacts on the mound in the third inning as the Yankees play the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, N.Y., Saturday, August 22, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“He looks healthy, he feels healthy,” Boone said Saturday ahead of Game 1 at Tropicana Field. “I feel like he’s going to be really important for us moving forward.”
The other lefties in the Yankees bullpen are heavily used setup man Brent Headrick and the soft-tossing Ryan Yarbrough. Headrick lost some velocity late in the season, looking like he might be running out of gas, while Yarbrough is mostly on the roster to offer some length if the Yankees get into a tough spot.
Weathers, meanwhile, was back up to 96 mph in a live batting practice last week. The Yankees had him throw another Monday, taking him out of consideration to be on the wild-card roster but ensuring that if they advanced, he would be available to pitch more often in the ALDS, which they now stand to benefit from.
Especially with off days after Games 1, 2 and 4, Weathers has a chance to impact multiple games. He said Friday he hoped to need only one day off between appearances, though the Yankees will not be rash in how they use him coming back from the injury.
New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers throws a pitch in the first inning as the New York Yankees play the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, Saturday, August 22, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
To add Weathers, the Yankees took veteran utilityman Amed Rosario off their roster to go with 11 pitchers and 15 position players.
The righty-hitting Rosario was on the wild-card roster against the Red Sox, but the Rays have fewer left-handed pitchers and the Yankees already have Paul Goldschmidt, Heliot Ramos and Giancarlo Stanton as right-handed pinch hitting options. Because Anthony Volpe is more of a threat on the bases and offers better defense at second base (and potentially third), Rosario became what Boone described as the “odd man out.”
“Tough call, because of how important he’s been to our team,” Boone said. “But he understands, too, and he’ll be the same Rosie he always is as far as what he means to the team and in that room.”