The New York Yankees made a clear move to shore up their pitching on Tuesday, landing a young left-hander in a deal that sends four prospects to Miami. The mystery man is Ryan Weathers, a 26-year-old starter the Yankees believe can help right now and keep helping for years to come.

Weathers arrives from the Marlins with three more seasons of club control and a profile that fits what New York needs: a lefty who can take the ball and keep games under control while the top arms heal. With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón set to start the season on the injured list, the Yankees needed to act. This trade shows they are not waiting around.

Why the Yankees moved now

Injuries have squeezed the Yankees’ rotation. Cole and Rodón are down to start the year, and Clarke Schmidt may miss 2026 after Tommy John surgery. That is a lot of innings to replace. Weathers gives the club a solid arm to slot behind Max Fried, with Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Luis Gil also part of the plan.

New York’s front office has talked about building layers of depth. This is one of those layers. Weathers can start, miss bats, and handle pressure spots if asked. He is not a rental. He is a piece for the present and for the next few seasons.

“Four prospects for a controllable lefty? That’s the kind of bet contenders make.”

Who is Ryan Weathers?

Weathers is the son of former big leaguer David Weathers, who pitched for the Yankees in 1996–97. Ryan was a first-round pick, No. 7 overall by the Padres in 2018, and later moved to Miami in 2023 in a deal that sent Garrett Cooper and Sean Reynolds to San Diego.

He is 26 and entering what many pitchers call their growth years. He throws with poise, and his track record shows both promise and bumps. That is normal for young starters. The key is that his stuff plays in the big leagues and he is learning how to use it.

The numbers that matter

Weathers’ 2025 line reads: 8 starts, a 3.99 ERA, 37 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 38 1/3 innings. He missed time with a flexor strain and a lat strain, which slowed his season, but he returned to post steady work when active.

Across his MLB career he has pitched in 70 games, with a 12–23 record, a 4.93 ERA, 235 strikeouts in 281 innings, and a 1.38 WHIP. Those totals suggest a pitcher still finding consistency, but someone who can help a rotation right away.

In 2024 he made 16 starts with a mid-3s ERA (3.63–3.74 by various reports). Over the past two years combined, he logged 24 starts and 125 innings. One more note on cost: he earned $1.35 million in salary arbitration in 2023, showing he has already moved into the standard big-league pay path.

“If Weathers stays healthy, this could be highway robbery for the Yankees.”

How he fits in the Bronx

Weathers should slide into the rotation behind ace-level presence Max Fried. That alignment lets the Yankees cover innings while Cole and Rodón heal. It also eases pressure on the young arms like Schlittler and Warren. Luis Gil’s power fastball gives the staff different looks, and Weathers’ lefty mix helps balance the group.

The Yankees do not need Weathers to be a savior. They need him to be steady: five to six innings, limited walks, and to keep the team in games. If he holds the mid-3s ERA he flashed in 2024 and repeats that strikeout-to-walk shape from 2025, he will do exactly that.

The Marlins’ return: speed and upside

Miami’s goal here is clear: load up on position players and build a faster, more dynamic system. It matches what they have prioritized this year. One of these players, outfielder Dillon Lewis, was already on Miami’s radar in earlier talks. Now he is theirs.

• Dillon Lewis (22, OF): Hit .237/.321/.445 with 22 home runs and 26 steals in 2024 across Class A levels. That is power-speed upside the Fish need.
• Brendan Jones (23, OF): A burner with 69 stolen bases in 148 minor-league games. He brings pressure on the bases.
• Juan Matheus (21, IF): Another speed threat with 40 steals, a .396 on-base percentage, .741 OPS, and 12 homers in 232 minor-league games.
• Dylan Jasso (IF): Part of the infield mix Miami is assembling, adding more depth and options for the future.

For the Marlins, this is a volume-and-traits play. They move one arm to get four young bats with speed and some pop. If even two of them hit, this becomes a strong long-term return.

“Marlins are betting on speed — but where will the power come from?”

Cost, control, and the bigger picture

From the Yankees’ side, the contract math matters. Weathers is under team control for three more seasons. That is valuable, especially with big salaries already on the books. New York adds a starter who is affordable and flexible for the roster.

There is also a nice family note here. Ryan’s father, David Weathers, once wore the pinstripes in 1996–97. Now the son gets his own shot in the Bronx. Different time, same stage.

What it means for 2025 and beyond

New York is building a staff that can weather early injuries and peak late. If Weathers is healthy, the Yankees get a mid-rotation arm who keeps them steady until the aces return. If he takes a step forward, they have found a legit difference-maker for the summer and for the next few years.

For Miami, it is about building a young, fast lineup core. Lewis brings power and speed. Jones and Matheus bring elite wheels and on-base traits. It fits the Marlins’ plan to gather position players who can change games with movement and pressure.

In the end, this is a clean baseball trade. The Yankees pay with depth to get stability on the mound. The Marlins trade from pitching to stack bats and speed. Both clubs got what they wanted. Now we see who turns that plan into wins.

Bottom line: The Yankees needed a starter. They got one with upside. The Marlins needed bats. They got four with tools. The clock starts now on both bets.