The New York Yankees suffered another difficult loss Monday night, but Ryan Weathers still delivered an encouraging performance during a 3-2 defeat against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Weathers entered the matchup saying he finally felt back to full strength after losing nine pounds earlier this month because of a viral illness. The left-hander quickly backed up that confidence, striking out nine batters and holding Baltimore hitless through six innings.
New York appeared in control entering the seventh inning. The Yankees held a 2-0 lead after Ben Rice launched a two-run homer earlier in the game, but Baltimore quickly changed the momentum when Adley Rutschman opened the inning with a single to break up the no-hit bid.
MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch shared Weathers’ comments postgame in an article published on Major League Baseball’s official website following New York’s 3-2 loss.
“My job is to go out there and compete and give as many pitches as I can give,” Weathers said. “It got us into the seventh inning. My job is to give the bullpen a breather and I feel like I did that tonight.”
The response stood out because Weathers focused on helping the team rather than dwelling on the missed no-hitter. According to Hoch, the left-hander also admitted he had “zero idea” he carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning.
The Yankees still found reason for optimism despite dropping their fourth straight game. Weathers completed 6 1/3 innings and threw 85 pitches against a dangerous Baltimore lineup, giving New York one of its strongest individual pitching efforts of the season. The outing also marked another encouraging step in the southpaw’s recovery after a recent illness, as he showed improved velocity, command, and composure against an Orioles lineup that capitalized on limited scoring opportunities late in the game.
Several teammates, including Max Fried and Carlos Rodon, reportedly greeted Weathers with hugs and congratulations after the outing. Although the night ended with another frustrating result, his performance gave the Yankees a positive development during a difficult stretch.
