The New York Yankees wrapped up a commanding series victory over the Colorado Rockies the past week to claim the sole possession of the AL-East division’s top spot. During the series finale, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton went back-to-back to score three home runs on the trot.
The offensive madness propelled Yankees to 10-3 victory in the rubber game. That being said, for the upcoming road series, the Yanks travelled to Washington and featured in the series opener against Nations where starting pitcher Nestor Cortes pitched an impactful start to contribute heavily into Bombers’ inspiring victory.
Nestor Cortes Proves Himself As A Playoff Worthy Starter
Nestor Cortes, the crafty left-hander for the New York Yankees, has been one of the most reliable arms in their rotation, and his recent performance against the Washington Nationals only solidified his reputation. In the game against the Nationals, Cortes was in complete control from the outset. His mix of pitches and deceptive delivery kept the Nationals’ hitters off balance throughout his outing. Across 6.2 innings pitched, Cortes allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out five hitters in the process. Cortes extended his scoreless streak to record 20.1 innings before allowing a home run in the seventh inning. Regardless, after an abysmal start to the season, the left-hander’s comeback in the second half is worth the appreciation.
Nestor Cortes had a 6.86 ERA over eight starts from June 23 to August 8. However, for the past three straight outings, Cortes hadn’t allowed a run until Monday. Meanwhile, the 5-2 win over the Washington Nationals was crucial for the New York Yankees as they continue to battle for a postseason berth. For Cortes, especially, the resurgence could have come at a better time as he eyes a place on playoff rotation.
Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt and Marcus Stroman were expected to pitch in the postseason. But Cortes is proving himself all over again and trying to fit in amongst giant pitchers. Regardless, Yanks playoff plans are yet to be fixed. With injuries lingering over Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, it’s difficult to say if the duo will be fit enough to pitch in the postseason with the same effectiveness. Hence, Cortes’s door to playoffs is still wide open.
Luis Gil To Fast Track His Return To Yankees Rotation
Luis Gil, who went down with lower back sprain, threw a bullpen session Sunday. The rookie pitcher was place on 15-day IL and has been getting treatment and rest ever since. Meanwhile, Aaron Boone, the New York Yankees manager, implied that Gil might not miss more than the preset 15 days.
However, the New York Yankees have yet to decide if Luis Gil will require another bullpen session or a minor league rehab start. The only thing certain is Gil’s return to the rotation as a starter. Notably, the rookie has already surpassed his career-high 124.1 innings pitched in his first full major league season as a starter.
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