Weathers got his unlikely pop from his Pops
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In his first game back from the IL, Ryan Weathers tossed four scoreless innings against the Marlins at loanDepot park on Saturday night. It represented great progress for the rookie, who has made 12 starts for the Padres this season. However, it was his first at-bat in the matchup that made history and gave him some bragging rights.
Being the son of a former big league pitcher, Weathers is constantly compared to his father, David. From their demeanor on the mound to their attitude in the batter¡¯s box, these two really are like father, like son. Though Ryan doesn¡¯t mind the comparisons, he likes having bragging rights over his dad, and he got some more of those on Saturday.
San Diego¡¯s starter smacked his first career home run in the third inning, a 421-foot blast that marked the longest by a Padres pitcher in the Statcast era (since 2015).
¡°I hit it, and I didn't feel it in my hands,¡± said Weathers. ¡°I was like, ¡®OK, I caught it that good.¡¯ I saw [Starling] Marte¡¯s numbers [on the back of his jersey], and I was like, ¡®OK, that's for sure over his head, so I'm gonna double.¡¯ Then, I just saw him stop, and I'm like, ¡®There's no way that just went out.¡¯¡±
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Weathers' home run came in just his 20th plate appearance, while it took his father four seasons (98 plate appearances) to smack his first dinger. Coincidentally, Ryan's blast came off the team with which David hit his first homer: the Marlins.
¡°That¡¯s the topic of the house: hitting,¡± joked the elder Weathers. ¡°He¡¯s always flapping those gums. He has pop, so now he validated a little bit.¡±
After rounding the bases, the younger Weathers put the swag chain around his neck, spun it and relished in a little home run glory.
One thing he isn¡¯t ready to do is ¡°flap his gums¡± to his dad, he jokes. At least, not yet.
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¡°He's still got me by one,¡± Weathers said with a laugh. ¡°Whenever I get one more, then I'll trash talk a little more.¡±
Until then, the two can enjoy the fact that, thanks to Saturday¡¯s home run, they have made history. According to Elias Sports Bureau, of the more than 60 father-son duos that have appeared as a pitcher in an MLB game, only five have both homered: Jim Bagby Sr. and Jr., Thornton and Don Lee, Mel Sr. and Todd Stottlemyre, Clyde and Jaret Wright and now, David and Ryan Weathers.