THE BRONX, NY — A starting rotation shakeup. Aaron Boone announced in his postgame media availability that the Yankees will not be starting lefty Ryan Weathers Thursday against the Rangers due to illness. This is the first time this season that the Yankees have needed to scratch a starter on a whim.
The team announced that right-hander Paul Blackburn will get the start, presumably as an opener.
“I pitched, then went home and pretty much threw my guts out for several hours,” Weathers told MLB.com's Brian Hoch. “I thought I just had food poisoning, but woke up the next day and was running a 102 [degree] temp. I was just pretty much bedridden for a couple of days.”
Weathers is not going to be placed on the IL. He will get the start on Monday against the Orioles in Baltimore.
The Yankees are expected to make another pitching move ahead of tomorrows game, as the team announced that Yerry De Los Santos, who pitched 3.2 scoreless innings against the Rangers Wednesday, was sent down to AAA Scranton. It will likely be someone who can give the Yankees some length in the outing. Carlos Lagrange pitched Wednesday for the RailRiders, so it won't be him.
A name to look out for (pure speculation based on recent usage) is Yovanny Cruz. Cruz has been a dominant force out of the bullpen for the RailRiders early in the 2026 season. Through 11 relief appearances, he has pitched 14.2 innings, posting a stellar 1.23 ERA and a 4-1 record. His effectiveness is underscored by a 0.89 WHIP and a high strikeout rate, fanning 19 batters while showing impressive velocity that has touched as high as 101.3 MPH.
Cruz has primarily relied on a three-pitch mix: a four-seam fastball, a splitter, and a slider, keeping Triple-A hitters off balance and solidify his role as a key high-leverage arm for the RailRiders. Cruz is not on the Yankees 40-man roster, so they would have to add him. They still have open spots, so that is not an issue.
Tomorrow will be the rubber game of the three game series against the Rangers for the Yankees. Lefty MacKenzie Gore will get the start for the Rangers. His last outing at Yankee Stadium in August when he was a National, he took the loss giving up three runs over five innings. He has always struggled at Yankee Stadium over the years, something to watch.
