Yankee fans, by definition, are inpatient people.  We expect a lot from our team, and who wouldn’t, considering we haven’t had a losing season in over 30 years.  Expectations for the team are World Series or bust, and since the Yankees have had a quiet offseason fans have become paranoid.  Well, fans wanted the Yankees to make a move, and they finally did with their old trading partner the Miami (i.e., Florida) Marlins.  While I haven’t always liked the deals Brian Cashman has made, this one might be the best tradehe has made in years.  The Yankees didn’t need a Cy Young award candidate; they required a certain player, and he found someone with the exact profile, so let’s dive in.

While some people think a baseball team needs all-stars at every position, I am not one of them.  A team is a team, and you have to find 26 players who can work together to make sure you have as few holes as possible.  Versatility is the key.  So, when you have two aces starting the season on the injured list, you need someone who can step into the rotation at the start, and then go back to the bullpen when everyone is healthy.  You don’t need to add a high-priced starter; you need to add a swingman, and that pitcher is Ryan Weathers.  

Ryan Weathers is a starter with a plus fastball, but he pitched in just 70 innings last season.  How many innings can he be expected to pitch this season?  100-120?  He also has pitched in 15 out of his career 70 appearances out of the bullpen, so he has experience as a reliever.  So, while he could make 10-12 starts this year, to control his innings, he will need to transition to the bullpen, and the Yankees could ultimately use another power pitcher at the back of the bullpen (especially a left-handed one).

He is also a perfect fit for the budget.  Rather than going out to get a $20-25 million starter who wouldn’t fit in the bullpen, they brought somebody who is under team control for three seasons for $1.35 million.  That is very affordable for a potential swing starter, and over the next three years, he could become a valuable piece of the rotation (just not this year).  

Ultimately, when I look at Ryan Weathers, I do not see his dad, who played for the Yankees during the most recent glory period.  Instead, I see his teammate, Ramiro Mendoza.  Mendoza pitched for the Yankees for eight seasons.  A guy who was a starter in the Minor Leagues who became the ultimate swingman for the Yankees.  In his eight Yankees seasons, he started 56 out of 278 games and made starts in every season, except for the last one.  It was his flexibility that made him an invaluable piece on the 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 championship teams.  He also performed solidly during his time as a Yankee with a 112 ERA+ (in the juicing error, so the ERA wasn’t what we consider that good by today’s standards).  Weathers can be the next Mendoza.

Again, I get why that sentence doesn’t excite a lot of Yankees fans as they wait for Cody Bellinger, and whatever else high-priced players are out there.  But when you can get a young player (26) with three years of team control at a cheap salary for a handful of minor league players that are not at the top of the system, it’s a good move.  It’s not only a good move, but it should allow the Yankees the flexibility to “weather” a season with injuries.  Players who can come in and out of the rotation have value — so for a change, let’s give Cashman some credit here.