Ryan Weathers already 'seeing benefits' from offseason work in first spring start

West Palm Beach, Fla.—Ryan Weathers had to wait a bit to get back onto a game mound. 

The left-hander’s spring debut last Monday was canceled due to rain. He was able to get work in on the side that morning, but it may not have had the same juice to it. 

When Weathers finally threw off a mound in an official game, it was clear how much he missed it. His fastball was buzzing out of his hand. Four of the seven Washington Nationals he faced struck out, including top prospect Dylan Crews. He allowed one walk, zero hits and zero runs in two innings, with only one ball leaving the infield.

“It felt good. I felt a little amped up,” Weathers said. “It was just fun getting back pitching. It’s the start of a new year. So it's always fun. It's always exciting. I'm just happy it went well.”

The radar gun at CACTI Ballpark of the Palm Beaches showed 100 mph on some of Weathers’ pitches. When speaking with the 25-year-old after the game, he seemed doubtful about that reading, as he hadn’t hit that mark all spring in his bullpens or live batting practices. 

Regardless of the number, Weathers was very satisfied with his four-seam fastball on Saturday, which is something he wanted to work on this offseason. 

“It felt really good,” Weathers said. “Tonight is the first time I've seen those kinds of numbers in a start in the windup and the stretch. So once I saw it in the stretch, too, I was like, ‘okay, this could be a real weapon.’ It makes you excited that you've actually figured another little piece out. So now it's just like, how can we use that in the zone?”

Weathers was one of Miami’s best pitchers in the first half of 2024. Through 11 starts, he had a 3.16 ERA. He had a rough start against the Texas Rangers, allowing four runs in six innings, and was pulled after two innings in his next start against the Cleveland Guardians with left index finger soreness. He’d wind up missing over three months on the injured list and only made three more starts before the season ended.

Over the offseason, Weathers said he lost about 20 pounds. He reportedly went up to 238 pounds at one point last year. It’s early, but he said he already feels a difference in the way his body responds both during the game and recovery.

“I just, overall, feel better,” Weathers said. “It's quicker for my arm to recover. I feel like I can get my body in better spots, just to be more efficient with my delivery. So far, I'm seeing benefits from it.”

Weathers is a lock to make the Marlins rotation coming out of camp. If he continues pitching the way he did in the first half of 2024, along with added velocity and longevity, he can possibly take on the No. 2 spot behind Sandy Alcantara.