Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said Friday that Cortes has had a "fully healthy offseason" after dealing with a flexor strain in his left elbow down the stretch of this past season, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Arnold noted that the Brewers did extensive work on Cortes' medicals before acquiring him in the trade that sent Devin Williams to the Yankees, and the team is confident the southpaw is healthy. Cortes held a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162:39 K:BB over a career-high 174.1 regular-season innings with the Yankees in 2024.
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Brewers' Nestor Cortes: Traded to Milwaukee
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The Brewers acquired Cortes, Caleb Durbin and cash considerations from the Yankees on Friday in exchange for Devin Williams, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Cortes pitched well this past season when healthy, posting a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162:39 K:BB. He ended the regular season on the injured list with a flexor strain but was able to come back to make two relief appearances during the World Series. The Brewers are presumably comfortable with his health status and will be counting on him as part of their rotation in 2025. Cortes is arbitration-eligible for a final time this winter.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Included on World Series roster
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Cortes (elbow) was added to the Yankees' World Series roster Friday.
Cortes has been shelved since late September with a left flexor strain but had faced hitters a couple times over the past week and bounced back with no issues. The left-hander is expected to be used in relief by the Yankees, although it's unclear how many innings he might be able to go.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Trending toward World Series roster
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that there's a "good chance" Cortes (elbow) will be on the team's World Series roster, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
Cortes will throw another live batting practice session Tuesday and, as long as he gets through that with no concerns, it sounds like he'll be part of the Yankees' roster for the Fall Classic against the Dodgers. It's expected that Cortes would be used as a reliever, although Boone hasn't officially committed to that. The southpaw has been out since late September with a left flexor strain.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Throwing live batting practice
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Cortes (elbow) will throw a live batting practice session Wednesday, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
It will be something of a hybrid bullpen session/live batting practice session, as Cortes is slated to throw 10-to-15 pitches off the bullpen mound before throwing another 10-to-15 to hitters. If all goes well, Cortes could face hitters again this weekend. The southpaw has been out since late September with a flexor strain but has a chance to be on the Yankees' World Series roster, should they advance. Cortes hasn't started a game in nearly a month, so if he does return for the World Series, it seems likely to be as a reliever.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Out for ALCS; World Series possible
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Cortes (elbow) is not on the Yankees' ALCS roster but is in play for the World Series, should they advance, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports.
Manager Aaron Boone said Monday that he's "really excited" where Cortes is at in his recovery from a left flexor strain. The southpaw resumed throwing a little over a week ago and could face hitters by this weekend. Cortes has been shelved since late September.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Ramps up intensity
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Cortes (elbow) has continued to throw and was able to increase the intensity in Thursday's session, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Cortes maintains hope to pitch in the ALCS as the Yankees are a win away from advancing Thursday. The left-hander continues to make strides in his recovery from the flexor strain, but his availability for the rest of the playoffs remains up in the air.
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Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Catch goes well
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Cortes (elbow) played catch Sunday, which went well according to Yankees' pitching coach Matt Blake, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Cortes is working his way back from a left elbow flexor strain, and he's hopeful to pitch in the ALCS if New York is able to advance. His ability to throw with no issues Sunday is promising, and his next step will depend on how he responds Monday.
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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: 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: 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.
