The Yankees had to shuffle their rotation and roster yesterday after left-hander Ryan Weathers came down with an illness that knocked him out of Thursday’s series finale against the Rangers.
Weathers told reporters he’d lost nine pounds in two days from whatever bug hit him. That’s the kind of weight loss that’ll sideline anyone, let alone a starting pitcher.
Paul Blackburn gets the emergency start instead. The former Athletics and Mets starter has been waiting for his shot in the Yankees rotation.
But that wasn’t the only move. After yesterday’s game, New York optioned reliever Yerry De Los Santos back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room for their newest addition.
The Yankees selected Brendan Beck’s contract from Triple-A on Thursday. The 27-year-old right-hander comes in ranked as their No. 21 prospect by MLB Pipeline, and there’s a good chance he’ll piggyback Blackburn today to eat some innings.
A Long Road Back
Beck’s story is one of perseverance through injury hell. Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors summed up his profile: “He’s a soft-tossing righty with plus command whose pro career has been marred by injuries.”
The injuries started early. Beck needed Tommy John surgery not long after the Yankees drafted him in the second round out of Stanford in 2021. Then he missed all of 2024 with another elbow surgery.
When you’re dealing with that many setbacks, it’s tough to find any rhythm.
Beck’s numbers in the minors this year reflect that rust – a 5.11 ERA with seven home runs allowed in just seven starts. Those aren’t the kind of stats that normally earn a call-up.
But the Yankees need innings, and Beck’s calling card has always been his command. Sometimes that’s exactly what a team needs – someone who can throw strikes and give the bullpen a breather, even if the stuff isn’t overpowering.
With Weathers down and the rotation needing help, Beck gets his first real shot to show what he can do at the big league level. It’s been a long road back from those elbow surgeries, but this is why they kept him in the system.
