Pitcher Nestor Cortes helped the New York Yankees have a solid start to the current season. However, the starting pitcher had not been as consistent as he would have liked. Even though the NY side had been performing very well offensively as well as defensively. They needed to redeem themselves this year after what happened in the previous season. The players who have been part of the Bronx Bombers for the last few years often mentioned, “The wound of 82-80 record is still quite fresh.” However, since the start of the season, fans were not quite sure about how strong their pitching department was.
They did not have the reigning American League Cy Young winner, Gerrit Cole, due to a right elbow injury. Hence, the onus was on the rest of the starting pitching department. Apparently, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes have been part of the Pinstripes’ starting pitching unit for a while now. But Luis Gil was a rookie, replacing Cole as the starter. Then, Marcus Stroman joined the Bronx Bombers last offseason. After four months in the regular season, the Yankees Nation has mixed feelings about Nestor Cortes. However, Aaron Boone seems to keep faith in the hurler.
Why The Yankees Manager Keep Backing Nestor Cortes Despite His Inconsistency?
So far, the current season has been a roller coaster ride for the starting pitcher. Nonetheless, Nestor Cortes had a few solid outings in 2024. The hurler might still want to replicate his 2022 season when he burst onto the scene. That year, Cortes earned an All-Star spot as well. However, since then, things have not been smooth, as per his plans, on the mound. In his last five outings, Nestor Cortes had a dismal record of 1-3 with a 9.26 ERA. Moreover, the fans have been wondering about the 29-year-old pitcher’s eligibility in the starting lineup. They keep questioning the prospect of Nestor’s current role. But Aaron Boone seemed quite confident about Cortes and his value within the team.
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During an interview with Talkin’ Yanks, the Yankees skipper mentioned that he was not thinking about giving Cortes additional rests between starts. Moreover, Boone said that he feels Nestor’s pitches are gradually coming out right. Since Cortes has been hurting with some risp, he ended up making mistakes in certain situations. Anyhow, the Yankees manager feels in some of the games, Cortes has been “Quite close to being really good.” Moreover, that’s what Boone feels about Nestor’s performances in 2024. Gradually, Nestor Cortes is starting to see the pitches come out of his hand properly.
Can The Southpaw Remain A Key Piece For Boone’s Side?
The Yankees Faithful can soon start to ask for a replacement for Nestor Cortes. Hence, he should start performing at a higher level despite he has the backing of the team manager. Now, the question is how can the LHP prove again that he is a bona fide star. Perhaps he will need some more opportunities in the lineup to re-establish his All-Star status.
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On top of that, the Yankees don’t have a ton of options on their 40-man roster to replace Cortes right away. However, Clarke Schmidt is gradually making his way back in as he returns from the Injured List. By September, Schmidt can rejoin the rotation. Then, he can replace Nestor if things don’t get better.
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