CHICAGO (AP) — The Miami Marlins are set to give Ryan Weathers the nod as their starting pitcher for Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, marking his first start of the season after returning from the injured list.
Weathers has battled through a left flexor muscle strain sustained in March during spring training, but he has successfully returned to form through a minor league rehab stint. His last outing for Jacksonville on May 8 saw him delivering an impressive five scoreless innings, highlighting his readiness for the big leagues.
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Last season, Weathers finished with a 5-6 record and a 3.63 ERA in 16 starts for the Marlins, generating significant anticipation for his performance this year, particularly as he was expected to slot into the No. 2 starter role behind Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, who is now back after recovering from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entirety of 2024.
The Marlins are currently on a rough patch, having lost three straight games and 13 of their last 16. Weathers faces the challenge of pitching against Jameson Taillon, following a recent close defeat by the Cubs, where Miami let a two-run lead slip away in the ninth inning, resulting in a 5-4 loss.
To make space for Weathers, the team optioned left-hander Anthony Veneziano to Triple-A Jacksonville.
This will be Weathers’ first appearance as a left-handed starter for the Marlins this season, and team manager Clayton McCullough is optimistic that his return will provide a jolt to the struggling squad.
“During spring training, Ryan showcased exceptional talent,” McCullough remarked. “His left-handed arsenal is impressive, boasting strong velocity along with an array of breaking pitches and a highly effective changeup.”
Further enriching Ryan’s narrative is his family background; he is the son of David Weathers, a former major league pitcher whose 19-year career spanned nine teams, including the Marlins and Cubs.
Selected seventh overall by the San Diego Padres in the 2018 amateur draft, Ryan Weathers has accumulated a career record of 10-21 with a 5.08 ERA over four seasons in the majors, playing for both the Padres and the Marlins.
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