The Yankees are back at it again with an offseason move that has fans scratching their heads. On Tuesday, they acquired left-hander Ryan Weathers from the Marlins in exchange for four prospects, aiming to shore up a rotation that will be without Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón when the season opens.

And for those who may not know, Weathers is the son of David Weathers, a member of the Yankees’ 1996 World Series championship team. So in that sense, it feels like a nice homecoming story. But the big question is: at what cost?

Reportedly, Brian Cashman gave up a sizable chunk of his prospect depth to make this deal. And that’s what has many fans stunned. After struggling last season to cover injuries due to a thin roster, parting with so much of their “next man up” supply feels risky. Hence, trading away that kind of depth, especially after last year’s injury woes, seems like a puzzling move that’s tough to justify.

“In exchange for Weathers, the Yankees parted with Dillon Lewis, Brendan Jones, Dylan Jasso, and Juan Matheus. Craig Mish was on it with the minor leaguers involved in the deal,” YES Network’s Jack Curry shared via X.

Well, the Yankees have surely raised some eyebrows by moving their 4 prospects. However, the idea is for Weathers to help steady the ship in the opening months. Why? Because Rodón, Cole, and Clarke Schmidt are all set to miss Opening Day as they recover from surgery.

Weathers figures to slot in behind Max Fried in a rotation that’s also expected to include Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Luis Gil. Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn are around as depth options. And it’s worth noting that Fried, Schlittler, and Warren are all coming off career-high workloads, which played a role in why the Yankees were active in the starting pitching market in the first place.

Still, that hasn’t stopped fans from questioning whether the price was too steep.

Of the prospects the Yankees gave up, Lewis was the headliner! He ranked eighth in the system by Baseball America after boosting his stock with a strong 2025 season. Then Jones, a 12th-rounder from the same draft, was also included, along with Jasso, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, and Matheus, an international signing.

So, the move may help in the short term, but many are left wondering if parting with that much young talent will really pay off in the long run.

Fans are calling out the Yankees’ front office

Why give away four prospects for a minor leaguer? Fans wonder. “So they have 3 SP on the IL to start the year, and they trade for another guy who can’t seem to stay healthy?” One fan asked. “Let’s get a guy who’s always injured to fill in for guys who are injured! Genius move!” Another added.

Reportedly, Weathers went 2–2 with a 3.99 ERA in eight starts last season. This marked his second straight year cut short by injuries. He missed time with a strained left flexor and didn’t make his season debut until May 14. Then he was sidelined again from June 7 through September 11 because of a left lat strain. Even in 2024, his season was interrupted by a strained left index finger.

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So, injuries have been part of Weathers’ baseball journey so far, and that’s where the fan skepticism comes in. The Yankees brought him in to help cover their own injured starters. But many are wondering how much sense it makes to rely on a pitcher who has struggled to stay healthy himself.

“Horrible. Yankees offseason is a joke,” another user added.

“Seems a lil steep but talent is definitely there,” one user said. “Sounds like an overpay, no?” another added.

Well, giving away 4 names for one minor leaguer surely sounds like an overpay.

For instance, Jasso put together a pretty solid campaign. He hit .257/.326/.400 with 13 HRs, strong enough production for a player who entered the organization as an undrafted free agent back in 2023. His steady rise through the minors earned him a spot in the back end of the Yankees’ top 30 prospects.

That’s why this deal has only added to the frustration among fans. From their perspective, the Yankees didn’t just trade spare parts but moved young, developing names who looked like legitimate pieces of the farm system.