Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Hoping for return late in playoffs
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Cortes (elbow) said he's hopeful to return from the 15-day injured list at some point late in the postseason if the Yankees make a deep run, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Cortes had been scheduled to start Wednesday against the Orioles, but he was scratched from the outing due to an elbow issue and was sent in for an MRI. He was diagnosed with a left elbow flexor strain and subsequently placed on the IL, making him ineligible to rejoin the Yankees until at least the ALCS. Cortes noted that he will be shut down for the next 7-to-10 days after getting a platelet-rich plasma injection for his elbow while also seeking at least two other doctors for further opinions on a treatment plan. On a positive note, Cortes told Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com that his UCL remains intact, so the lefty appears likely to avoid surgery and will hope to make a full recovery through rest and rehab.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Lands on IL with flexor strain
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The Yankees placed Cortes on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a left elbow flexor strain.
The loss of Cortes is a big blow to the Yankees' pitching depth just ahead of the postseason, especially after the lefty had submitted a 1.58 ERA over his last 40 innings. He will be eligible for activation Oct. 7 if the Yankees have him replace another injured player, but Cortes is more likely to remain out of the entirety of the ALDS, and possibly longer. Marcus Stroman will fill Cortes' spot in the rotation Wednesday versus the Orioles.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Undergoing MRI on elbow
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Cortes will undergo an MRI on his left elbow Wednesday, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
Cortes had been slated to start Wednesday's game against the Orioles, but his immediate future is now cloudy while he awaits the MRI results. The veteran left-hander has been excellent lately, allowing just one earned run over his last 15.1 innings of work and boasting a 1.58 ERA covering his last 40 frames. Marcus Stroman -- whose last outing was a three-inning relief appearance Sept. 17 -- is a likely candidate to start Wednesday's contest. Cody Poteet is also expected to join the club at Yankee Stadium, although it's unclear whether he'll join the taxi squad or be added to the active roster.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Nine strikeouts in no-decision
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Cortes came away with the no-decision in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Red Sox. He pitched five innings and allowed one run on three hits and three walks with nine strikeouts.
Cortes matched a season-high with nine strikeouts Thursday, which came on the heels of his first relief outing since 2021 last weekend. The left-hander is now back in the rotation with the Yankees going to a six-man unit for the stretch run. Outside of his Sept. 1 start versus the Cardinals when he gave up five runs, Cortes has now allowed one run or less in five of his last six appearances. The 29-year-old will take a 3.90 ERA and 1.15 WHIP into his next start, which tentatively lines up to come at Seattle.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Back in rotation Thursday
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Cortes is slated to start Thursday's game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Cortes will return to the New York rotation after he made his first relief appearance since the 2021 season in the Yankees' 2-0 win over the Cubs last Saturday, when he piggybacked Clarke Schmidt in the latter's return from the 60-day injured list. With both Schmidt and Luis Gil having recently been activated from the IL, the Yankees now have six healthy starters on hand, and one of those pitchers will likely lose his spot when the team condenses its rotation as the postseason approaches. Including his recent relief outing, Cortes has pitched well enough to maintain his rotation spot, as he'll head into Thursday's start with a 1.86 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 29 innings over his past five appearances.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Earns win in relief
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Cortes (9-10) was the pitcher of record in Saturday's 2-0 win over the Cubs, allowing one walk and no hits with three strikeouts over 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Cortes pitched in relief for the first time this season and didn't allow a hit while throwing 33 of 48 pitches for strikes. The results had been a mixed bag in his previous five outings, as he fired three quality starts but gave up 11 earned runs in the other two appearances. On the season, he owns a 3.97 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 147:33 K:BB across 163.1 innings. Cortes piggybacked Clarke Schmidt on Saturday in the latter's return from the injured list, but it's unclear if the two pitchers will be deployed in tandem moving forward, or if both will have starting roles as part of a six-man rotation.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Poised for relief outing
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Cortes is expected to pitch behind Luis Gil (back) or Clarke Schmidt (lat) on Friday or Saturday, respectively, against the Cubs before being re-inserted into the Yankees' rotation, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Cortes surrendered five runs over four innings Sunday against the Cardinals and will have a brief role shift with the Yankees getting back two starting pitchers from the injured list. The left-hander is tentatively expected to rejoin New York's rotation late next week during the four-game set against Boston, which begins Sept. 12.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Roughed up in no-decision
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Cortes escaped with a no-decision in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out two in four innings.
Cortes struggled to keep the Cardinals offense in check, yielding four extra-base hits including a two-run home run to Luken Baker in the fourth. Fortunately for Cortes, the Yankees rallied from a five-run deficit to briefly tie the game, letting Cortes off with a no-decision. The 29-year-old had been excellent over his previous three starts, going 3-0 with a 0.44 ERA, 0.58 WHIP and 18:2 K:BB in 20.2 innings before Sunday's hiccup. Cortes has had an up and down season, registering a 4.08 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 144:32 K:BB in 159 innings (28 starts). The southpaw will look to bounce back in his next start, currently scheduled for next weekend against the Cubs.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Knocked around in loss
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Cortes (5-10) took the loss against the Angels on Thursday, allowing six runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out two batters over 4.2 innings.
Cortes gave up a modest two runs through four frames but then fell apart in the fifth. In that inning, Los Angeles got to him for three hits and a walk, and all four of those baserunners eventually came around to score (though two crossed the plate following his departure). Of the nine total hits Cortes allowed, four -- three doubles and a homer -- went for extra bases. The left-hander has struggled of late, yielding 24 earned runs over his past 23.1 frames.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Can't get through five
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Cortes allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks over 4.2 innings in a no-decision Friday against the Red Sox. He struck out five.
Cortes has now failed to make it through the fifth inning in three straight starts -- he's allowed 15 runs over 13.1 innings in that span. Overall, the left-hander is 4-9 with a 4.13 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 116:26 K:BB across 22 starts this season. Cortes will look to right the ship his next time out, though he's currently in line for a tough road matchup in Philadelphia.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Allows three homers in loss
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Cortes (4-9) took the loss against the Rays on Saturday, allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks with one strikeout over 4.1 innings.
Cortes entered Saturday with a 1.81 ERA in 10 home starts but surrendered a season-high six earned runs, including three homers across the fourth and fifth innings. The Rays have the southpaw's number this season, as he generated only five swinging strikes on 92 pitches and fell to 0-3 against them in four chances. On the year, he owns a 3.99 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 111:24 K:BB across 119.2 innings and lines up for a road matchup with the Red Sox next week.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Fans eight in no-decision
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Cortes came away with a no-decision in Friday's 5-3 extra-inning loss to the Red Sox, allowing one run on three hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out eight.
The southpaw was at his baffling best, tossing 68 of 97 pitches for strikes and leaving the mound in line for his fifth win of the season. A blown save by Clay Holmes forced Cortes to settle for his ninth quality start, and he'll take a 3.41 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 106:20 K:BB through 111 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in Tampa Bay.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Struggles early in loss
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Cortes (4-7) took the loss to the Blue Jays on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 4.1 innings.
Cortes surrendered a two-run home run to Vladimir Guerrero in the first inning and an RBI double to Alejandro Kirk in the fourth. Cortes had rattled off three consecutive quality starts entering Saturday, but this was also the second time in June the southpaw was unable to complete five innings. On the season, the 29-year-old owns a 3.51 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 98:19 K:BB over 105 innings and lines up to face the Red Sox next week.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Cruises to fourth win
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Cortes (4-5) picked up the win in Tuesday's 4-2 victory over the Orioles, allowing five hits over six scoreless innings. He struck out six without walking a batter.
The crafty lefty was at his baffling best, and the only runner Baltimore got past second base against Cortes came on an Austin Wells passed ball in the sixth inning. Cortes threw a season-high 105 pitches (64 strikes) in the outing, his first time in triple digits since April 20, while the quality start was his second straight and seventh of the campaign. He'll take a 3.36 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 86:18 K:BB through 93.2 innings into his next start, which lines up to come at home this weekend against Atlanta.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Goes seven strong in no-decision
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Cortes allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two over seven innings during Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Royals. He didn't factor in the decision.
Cortes ran into some trouble in the fourth inning with two runs allowed but otherwise kept Kansas City off the board, pitching deep into yet another start. This was his fifth outing this season of seven or more innings, which is tied for the second most in the American League. The two strikeouts tied for a season low, and the veteran lefty has now gone four straight starts without a win. He will take a 3.59 ERA into his next start, which lines up to come against the Orioles next week.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Drops contest against Dodgers
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Cortes (3-5) took the loss against the Dodgers on Saturday, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four batters over 5.1 innings.
Cortes gave up a pair of solo homers among the seven total hits Los Angeles tallied against him, and the four runs he yielded tied a season-high mark. The lefty hurler did at least manage to keep New York within striking range -- though the game ended in a blowout, most of the Dodgers' damage came after Cortes' departure. Cortes is hanging onto a respectable 3.68 ERA on the season, though his current 8.7 K/9 is on pace for his lowest mark since a four-appearance cup of coffee as a rookie in 2018.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Sharp in second win
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Cortes (2-4) picked up the win in Friday's 4-2 victory over the White Sox, allowing one unearned run on five hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out six.
An error by Oswaldo Cabrera in the third inning led to the only damage off Cortes, who tossed 63 of 93 pitches for strikes in his fifth quality start of the season. The southpaw has been effective when he's been able to keep the ball in the park; he's served up multiple homers in three of his last seven outings, stumbling to a 6.06 ERA in those starts but not giving up an earned run in the other four. Cortes will take an overall 3.56 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 57:12 K:BB through 60.2 innings into his next trip to the mound, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Mariners.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Yields four runs over 5.1 innings
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Cortes (1-4) took the loss Saturday in Tampa Bay, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out five.
Cortes had just eight walks all season coming into this outing and half of those came in his first two starts. He issued a season-high three free passes in this one, the first time since April 14 that he didn't go at least six frames. Cortes will try to bounce back his next time out in a favorable projected matchup at home against the White Sox.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Strikes out nine in quality start
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Cortes did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk over 6.1 innings against the Tigers. He struck out nine.
Cortes matched a season high with nine strikeouts, as he allowed only four baserunners in the contest. Cortes shut out the Tigers through six but was pulled with one out in the seventh after allowing two base hits in the inning. Both runners eventually came around to score, tying the game and ending Cortes' bid to earn his second win. It was the fourth quality start in eight games for Cortes, who lowered his ERA to 3.72 with a 1.03 WHIP and 46 strikeouts through 48.1 innings. His next start is tentatively scheduled to take place next weekend when the Yankees travel to Tampa for a division showdown against the Rays.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Falls to Baltimore
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Cortes (1-3) took the loss Tuesday against the Orioles, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five.
Three of Baltimore's four runs off Cortes came in the fourth inning, as the 29-year-old left-hander took a second straight loss. Cortes had gone seven innings in each of his previous two outings, allowing just three runs while striking out 13 in that span. His ERA now sits at 3.86 with a 1.10 WHIP and 37:7 K:BB across seven starts (42 innings). Cortes is currently scheduled to face the Tigers at home in his next start.
