New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes is not having his best year, and he may get shipped out of town as a result. However, the veteran hurler isn't worried about Tuesday's trade deadline.
Cortes sounded off about the possibility of him being moved, via The New York Daily News' Gary Phillips.
“‘I'm not thinking about the trade deadline. I'm not thinking about being moved from here. If it happens, it happens, but I'm not worried about it.' – Nestor Cortes on trade rumors #Yankees,” Phillips tweeted.
New York is looking into several different trade options, via The New York Post's Greg Joyce.
“While the Yankees are clear-cut buyers at the trade deadline, it’s not out of the question they could sell at least one major-league piece to land more talent,” Joyce reported. “Nestor Cortes’ name has come up in trade discussions, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Monday, as the Yankees have plenty of balls in the air ahead of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. deadline.”
One possibility is the Yankees including Cortes in a package for Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, via USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
“The New York Yankees are in extensive trade talks for Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, and plan to trade starter Nestor Cortes if they land Flaherty,” Nightengale reported.
Flaherty sports a 7-5 record with a 2.95 ERA and 0.956 WHIP across 18 starts this season, while Cortes is 4-9 with a 4.13 ERA and 1.206 WHIP across an MLB-high 22 starts. Flaherty was scratched from his start against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night to protect him from a potential trade.
How will this situation shake out?
Nestor Cortes will need to improve if he does stay on the Yankees
Cortes has especially struggled recently, as he's given up 19 earned runs in his last five starts, good for an 0-3 record. The former Seattle Mariner had standout campaigns in 2021 and '22, recording 2.90 and 2.44 ERA's in those seasons, respectively. He was named an AL All-Star in '22.
Since then, though, it's been tough sledding, and New York doesn't have much more time to waste. With superstar Juan Soto's free agency looming this winter, the organization is moving aggressively at the deadline to win a championship this season, which would theoretically convince the slugger to stay in town for the long haul.
If Cortes does stay with the team, though, he may lose his starting spot to Clarke Schmidt if he doesn't improve. Schmidt had a 2.52 ERA in 60.2 innings before going down with a right lat strain in late May. However, the 28-year-old has been tossing bullpen sessions and is close to starting his minor-league rehab stint.
If “Nasty Nestor” gets his mojo back, though, he should be safe assuming he doesn't get traded.
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