The New York Yankees have bolstered their pitching staff by re-signing right-hander Paul Blackburn to a one-year contract and acquiring Ryan Weathers from the Miami Marlins in a trade. These moves come as the team addresses injuries to key starters ahead of the 2026 season. Blackburn returns after a late-2025 stint with New York, while Weathers follows in his father's footsteps from the 1996 World Series champions.
The New York Yankees announced on January 15, 2026, that they have re-signed right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn to a one-year Major League contract. Blackburn, 32, appeared in 15 games (four starts) across the Mets and Yankees in 2025, posting a 6.23 ERA (39.0 IP, 47 H, 29 R/27 ER, 12 BB, 34 K, 6 HR). He began the year with the Mets, was designated for assignment on August 16 and released on August 19, before signing with the Yankees on August 21. In eight relief outings for New York, he recorded a 5.28 ERA (15.1 IP, 16 H, 10 R/9 ER, 4 BB, 16 K, 3 HR), improving to 1.50 ERA (12.0 IP, 2 ER) over his final seven regular-season appearances. He also made the rosters for the 2025 American League Wild Card Series and AL Division Series.
Earlier in the offseason, the Yankees acquired left-hander Ryan Weathers, 26, from the Marlins in exchange for prospects outfielder Brendan Jones (No. 15), outfielder Dillon Lewis (No. 16), infielder Dylan Jasso (No. 23), and infielder Juan Matheus. Weathers, limited to eight starts in 2025 due to injuries, has a 3.74 ERA over 24 starts in the past two seasons and remains under club control through 2028. His father, David Weathers, contributed to the Yankees' 1996 World Series title, striking out Javy López in a pivotal Game 6 moment at Yankee Stadium.
"We’ve had weird, similar paths to New York," Ryan Weathers said, expressing excitement about joining the team. "I just couldn’t believe that the New York Yankees were a team that I could ever have a chance to play for."
These additions address early-season absences: Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt are rehabbing from surgeries, with returns expected from Rodón early, Cole in May or June, and Schmidt later. Blackburn's career includes a 2022 All-Star nod with the Athletics and a 4.97 ERA over nine MLB seasons (22-31, 1 save, 467.1 IP). Weathers, the No. 7 pick in 2018, aims to build on his progress, focusing on usage adjustments against left-handed batters.
