Yankees Clear Winners of Big Offseason Trade

The offseason trade for Ryan Weathers is going in the Yankees' favor two months into the 2026 MLB season. Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Yankees Clear Winners of Big Offseason Trade

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Jun 4, 2026 8:48 AM ET

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If there's any proof that Spring Training stats don't mean anything, look at Ryan Weathers. Weathers, the Yankees' big offseason trade acquisition from the Marlins, allowed 17 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings before the 2026 regular season started.

The early returns weren't great, but what happens in March has little to do with the regular season, and one thing about Weathers is clear. He could be one of the steals of the offseason.

While it remains to be seen how first baseman Dylan Jasso (two home runs, 15 RBIs with Double-A Pensacola), shortstop Juan Matheus (eight HRs, 36 RBIs with Double-A and High-A Beloit), and outfielders Brendan Jones (six HRs, 18 RBIs in Double-A) and Dillon Lewis (12 HRs, 31 RBIs in Double-A) turn out, it feels like a deal the Yankees would make 10 times out of 10 and have no regrets about this one.

Weathers has pitched in 11 games this year, more than he did in 2025 and close to the mark he reached in 2024. That year, he started 16 games. Weathers has been a strikeout machine, and his ability to generate whiffs was one of the reasons the Yankees made the deal for him. His 29% strikeout rate is in the 90th percentile in baseball, according to Baseball Savant. To go with the swing-and-miss stuff, he has a 70th percentile 7.3% walk rate.

Weathers vs. Edward Cabrera so far

It's not the first time the Yankees and Marlins have made deals together. Especially under this regime, with Peter Bendix leading the way as the Marlins' President of Baseball Operations. In 2024, the Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. from them midseason, and even before Weathers, they tried to get Edward Cabrera. He ended up going to the Cubs.

For now, the Yankees are probably happy it was Weathers that they acquired instead of Cabrera. It's still early to say the Yankees made out better with Weathers, but so far, it does seem like he has inched ahead of Cabrera. In 54 IP, Cabrera has a 4.00 ERA. While that isn't so far removed from Weathers on the year, Cabrera doesn't have the same strikeout stuff, as he's averaging a career-low 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

David Banks-Imagn Images

Cabrera has a 20% strikeout rate this year. That is in the 40th percentile in baseball. It's down from 2025, when he had a 25.8% strikeout rate, and from 25.7% in 2024.

A move to the pen?

It'll be interesting to see what the Yankees do with Weathers once the rotation is full. At some point, Max Fried will return, and he'll join a staff with Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler and Carlos Rodón. The Yankees will have to choose between Weathers and Will Warren.

Weathers may have a higher ceiling as a starter, and his stuff is nastier; there could be some value for him in the bullpen, as opposed to sticking Warren in there. That's just based on his ability to generate swings and misses.

Considering that the Yankees don't want Weathers' innings to reach too high a mark after a slew of injury-shortened seasons under his belt, a move to the bullpen could be just the right remedy for the Yankees. There is still time to figure that out, though.

This article first appeared on New York Yankees on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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