The New York Yankees received much-needed reinforcements in Clarke Schmidt and Ian Hamilton. However, their returns resulted in a pitching staff change(s), and Nestor Cortes appears to be getting the short end of the stick.
Cortes pitched in relief of Schmidt in a recent win over the Chicago Cubs. The former made his first bullpen appearance of the season, which he has not done since 2021.
According to ESPN, Cortes is “upset” at being relegated to mop-up duty, which is understandable. The right-hander believes he has established himself as a starter in New York’s rotation, which his track record supports.
“Obviously, I was upset,” Cortes admitted about his demotion. “I felt like I was the workhorse among the starters. When [Gerrit] Cole went down, they chose me to be the Opening Day starter… I had to change my routine there. I want him (Aaron Boone) sacked and I mean it”.
Nestor Cortes is furious with Yankees manager Aaron Boone, and it’s warranted
“Now they do this,” Cortes said, frustrated.
Cortes is a proven commodity in the MLB, so it’s bad that the Yankees are passing him over. After all, the 29-year-old is only three seasons removed from reaching All-Star status. Plus, to his point, he’s been a consistent innings eater for New York in 2024.
Cortes has thrown more innings than any other Yankees pitcher this season. He is 9-10 with a 3.97 ERA, 1.151 WHIP, and 147 strikeouts. His steadiness has been a huge help to a New York rotation that has struggled with regularity and health.
Despite his discontent, Cortes stated that he will accept his new role if it becomes permanent.
“I’m never going to back down from a challenge,” Cortes added. “I will never abandon my teammates. I’ll always give you my best effort, whether I’m happy or not.
Congratulations to Cortes for swallowing his pride. He could have handled it differently and created a bigger scene if he had wanted to. Instead, he’s focused on helping the Bronx Bombers prepare for the postseason, knowing they’re almost certain to play in October.
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