TAMPA — Ryan Weathers is not exactly easing into his first camp as a member of the Yankees.
The newly acquired left-hander came out pumping the heat in his first live batting practice since spring training began, regularly hitting 97 and 98 mph with his fastball Sunday afternoon at Steinbrenner Field.
Those kinds of numbers are not often seen on a radar gun in mid-February as pitchers ramp up, but Weathers indicated that has been the norm for him the past few springs.
“I don’t feel like I’m trying to throw hard, so I think my delivery’s just in a good spot right now,” he said. “I think everything’s connecting really well. Hopefully I keep throwing like that.”
Weathers, who threw two simulated innings and about 35 pitches, averaged 96.9 mph on his fastball during the regular season last year with the Marlins, who traded him to the Yankees in January for four prospects.
Of course, the biggest hurdle for the 26-year-old in being able to fully showcase that stuff has been staying healthy.
He missed time with a lat strain and a flexor muscle strain last season, so the Yankees are cognizant of building him up carefully to have him available for the start of the season, when he will try to help hold the fort down in the absence of Carlos Rodón, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt.
“I feel like physically, he’s in a really good place as far as the work he put in, in the winter,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I continue to be excited about him. I think he’s in a really good spot for us.”
The Yankees believe that, if Weathers is healthy, they can help take his game to another level.
He has been working on a new two-seam fastball to give him another weapon against left-handed hitters, and he said the few he threw in Sunday’s session felt good — with about 19 to 20 inches of movement.
The other main focus with the pitching department since he arrived has been more of a change in approach.
“I think just trusting my stuff in the middle of the plate,” Weathers said. “I have stuff moving everywhere, so it’s getting in the zone and letting my stuff play in the zone. The more I can get in advantage counts, I’ll be able to get more outs.”