The Yankees scratched Ryan Weathers from Thursday’s series finale against the Rangers and turned to Paul Blackburn instead, another last-minute change for a rotation that has been in motion all week. Weathers said an illness cost him 9 pounds in 2 days, left him vomiting for hours and sent him to bed with a 102-degree fever.
Weathers said he woke up Sunday sick, got an IV on Wednesday and was back through a full workout by the time the Yankees lost 6-1 to Texas. He said the illness was gone by Tuesday and that his arm still felt really good, even after the club removed him from the schedule for Thursday.
The setback came just days after Weathers worked five innings in a win over the Orioles, allowing three runs, one earned, before the illness worsened. Aaron Boone said the club moved him at the right time and liked what it had seen from him on the mound, adding that he has been throwing the ball well and commanding his stuff better.
Boone’s plan now points to a quick turnaround. Weathers is expected to throw a side session Friday and is likely to start Monday in Baltimore, giving him a chance to stay on turn if his recovery holds. The left-hander said the sickness was unlike anything he had dealt with before, even as he insisted his body felt strong and his arm felt fine.
The Yankees have also been juggling the rest of the pitching staff. Yerry De los Santos delivered 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the Rangers, allowing one hit, one walk and striking out five, before the club sent him back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. José Caballero also avoided a more serious injury when X-rays on his left elbow came back negative after he was hit by a curveball in the third inning.
There is a bigger arm help coming soon. Carlos Rodón is expected to rejoin the rotation Sunday in Milwaukee after completing a rehab assignment Tuesday. He built up to 85 pitches in three rehab starts, posted a 3.38 ERA with 16 strikeouts and three walks in 16 innings, and is set to make his return from offseason elbow surgery to remove bone chips.
For the Yankees, the immediate issue is simple: keep the lineup and rotation intact long enough to get through the week. For Weathers, the strange illness appears to be fading just as the club needs him back.
