Yankees must promote this prospect after Ryan Weathers injury update

The New York Yankees' rotation was dealt a blow on Saturday afternoon when talented southpaw Ryan Weathers exited the game in the fourth inning with apparent elbow discomfort. New York is once again faced with depth questions as the AL Wild Card race enters its final lap.

Aaron Boone told reporters Weathers won't throw for two to four weeks, but could return "in some capacity" down the road — most likely in a bullpen role. It is a low-grade flexor strain and not a UCL injury, which is positive news in the grand scheme of things. In the short term, however, New York is down a starter and could look to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for reinforcements.

Why Elmer Rodríguez is the Yankees' best bet to replace Ryan Weathers

Elmer Rodríguez, whom New York acquired from the Red Sox in the 2024 Carlos Narváez trade, is the Yankees' top-ranked pitching prospect (and FanSided's No. 40 overall prospect). He has already made four starts in the Majors this season, between April and June, with nine runs allowed in 17.0 innings (4.76 ERA) and 10 strikeouts.

Rodríguez was not very good in his first exposure to MLB competition, to be frank. He surrendered far too many walks (13.3 percent clip) and struggled with command more broadly, further evidenced by three hit-by-pitches. While Rodríguez's strong ground-ball (50.0 percent) and hard-hit (34.5 percent) rates suggest he was able to limit loud contact, he put far too many runners on base and did not miss enough bats.

That said, he's been on a steady climb through the Minors ever since arriving in New York, dominating at every level. He has a 2.79 ERA across 19 starts in Triple-A this season, with a 1.26 WHIP and 99 strikeouts in 97.1 innings. There is also immense room for growth, even in the span of a couple months. Take, for example, Andrew Painter with the Phillies — another ex-top prospect who struggled mightily early in the campaign, took a few weeks to retool and adjust in the Minors, and has now looked like a completely different pitcher down the stretch.

Rodríguez has the best track record in the Minors of any Yankees prospect. The Majors are a different beast, of course. His sweeper is dangerous, but he needs to keep it closer to the zone. His fastball was straight-up ineffective earlier in the season, despite mid-90s velocity and plenty of arm-side run. He needs to make quick and dramatic adjustments, but the talent is undeniable, and the righty shown enough baseline competence for the Yankees to believe he can hold down the fort in a pinch. Put him in a bullpen role come October, and there's a good chance Rodríguez's stuff pops more in shorter stints.

Yankees can also consider these prospects for a late audition

Carlos Lagrange

Carlos Lagrange was a showstopper in spring training, flashing big velocity and strong secondaries. He struggled early in Triple-A, with a 4.55 ERA despite his 83 strikeouts in 63.1 innings. Still, he appeared on track to join the Yankees bullpen after the trade deadline until a shoulder injury put him on the shelf. After initial uncertainty around his return timeline, there now appears to be an outside chance that he can debut in the Yankees bullpen after all.

He's still going through his recovery steps, and so this is not an immediate fix — and he almost certainly won't start. But it's a name for New York fans to monitor, as Lagrange is a highlight machine with real Jacob Misiorowski-lite (although he's built much stronger) energy.

Xavier Rivas

New York's No. 15 prospect at MLB Pipeline, Xavier Rivas is a big southpaw who leans on his deceptive slider and changeup offerings. The Yankees have moved him through the Minors as a starter, but his profile — with a low-90s fastball that is extremely vulnerable in high doses — probably means he ends up as a reliever long term. The Yankees would probably use him in that role if called up, and given their lack of action at the deadline, it certainly seems feasible that Rivas would hear his name called soon.

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