The Yankees are careening toward the MLB playoffs and appeared to be in a rare circumstance—going into October with a nearly healthy complement of players, and with six wins in their last eight games, some wind at their backs. And then the Yankees’ official Twitter/X account dropped a bit of sour news ahead of Wednesday’s matchup against the Orioles: Starter Nestor Cortes was heading to the disabled list.
“Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves: • Placed LHP Nestor Cortes on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 9/22) with a left elbow flexor strain. • Recalled RHP Cody Poteet (#72) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Additionally, RHP Marcus Stroman will start tonight’s game.”
It’s bad news for the rotation, but especially bad news for Cortes, who has had a wild season in the Bronx. Things had been rounding into shape, though, as Cortes—the team’s Opening Day starter after the injury to Gerrit Cole—had come full circle.
Over his last six appearances, going back to mid-August and including one long relief showing, Cortes had gone 4-0, with a 1.54 ERA and a batting average allowed of just .186. SNY’s Jack Curry first reported that Cortes would undergo an MRI on the elbow.
Yankees Have Options in Playoff Rotation
With that strong finish to the year, Cortes seemed to have secured a spot in the postseason rotation, where Cole is expected to take the ace’s role and Carlos Rodon should have the No. 2 spot. The Yankees have a range of options for the third rotation spot, which will be needed in the divisional round—the Yankees might not need four starters until after that.
Stroman had been moved to the bullpen, but as he is getting the start on Wednesday, there is a chance he could be called upon to fill the role. He is a veteran, and has a 10-8 record with a 4.04 ERA this season, but has been very inconsistent throughout the year.
Young pitchers Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil will also be in the mix, though both are iffy because they’re coming back from injuries in the past month. Gil, at 15-6, makes the most sense, but the team also likes the notion of using his swing-and-miss stuff out of the bullpen.
Nestor Cortes Has Had a Wild 2024 Season
We are only two years removed from Cortes landing a spot on the A.L. All-Star team, back when he was 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 2022. Persistent rotator cuff troubles hampered him last year, and this year, he has been knocked around the team’s roster like a pinata, first at the forefront of trade rumors back at the July deadline, then knocked back into the bullpen earlier this month.
The bullpen role was one he neither asked for nor wanted.
“Obviously I was upset,” Cortes said, via ESPN. “I felt like I’ve been, amongst all the starters, the workhorse here. Once Cole went down, they picked me to be the Opening Day starter — not necessarily the No. 1, but the Opening Day starter. I had to switch my routine there.
“Now they do this.”
It looked like Cortes was ready to finish off his strong and redemptive end-of-season heroics, though, with a good playoff push. There’s still a chance he could pitch in the postseason, if the Yankees advance. But his rough luck continues.
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