Fresh off acquiring outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and earning an important road series victory against the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees are expected to stay active ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline. One player who many fans did not expect to be mentioned in potential talks could actually be on the move, however
“Nestor Cortes is a name that’s definitely out there,” Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network reported Monday. “Won’t be shocked if he’s moved. Haven’t confirmed Tommy Edman is a target for Cortes but NYY does like him.”
It is known that the St. Louis Cardinals are interested in Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Erick Fedde, but maybe the Redbirds would shift their focus to landing Cortes if a deal presented itself. The mustached left-hander claimed his first-career All-Star selection in 2022 and seemed to be heading towards another strong campaign this year before enduring an abysmal stretch in July. He has allowed 15 earned runs in his last three starts, causing his ERA to increase significantly to 4.13.
Because Cortes is a free agent after the 2025 season, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman could look to max out his value now. Though, fans remember all too well what happened the last time the team traded a southpaw pitcher for a Cardinals player.
A healthy Tommy Edman can help, but Yankees need pitching depth
A lack of contact hitters and starting pitching depth have been the two biggest problems New York has faced over its last few postseason appearances. Addressing one of those needs at the expense of the other seems rather dangerous, particularly in what could be the Yanks' best chance at advancing to the World Series since they won their last one in 2009.
Edman underwent wrist surgery last October and has yet to play for the Cards in 2024. Furthermore, the utility man is coming off a rough season in which he batted .248 with a 90 OPS+. While the lineup can obviously benefit from some additional versatility, trusting someone who has been hampered all year is a surefire way to increase the migraine rate in The Bronx.
Despite his struggles and uncertain contract situation, Nestor Cortes does hold value to the Yankees. The starting pitching rotation is already down Clarke Schmidt and features a wild card in rookie Luis Gil (pitched only 33.1 total innings before this season). If Cashman opts to deal away an arm, he would be wise to get a new one before the MLB trade deadline passes.
The next 26-ish hours should be packed with intrigue and stress for the fan base, as the franchise quickly tries to complete the championship puzzle.
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