3:16pm: Cortes advised reporters (together with Greg Joyce of the New York Publish) right this moment that he’ll be shut down for seven to 10 days and can probably get a platelet-rich plasma injection in his ailing elbow. Neither Cortes nor Boone dominated out the potential of the lefty returning sooner or later within the playoffs if the Yankees could make a deep sufficient run, however Cortes famous that the outcomes of his MRI are being despatched to docs Neal ElAttrache and Keith Meister for extra opinions.
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic was amongst these to relay that whereas Boone advised reporters that the membership wasn’t ruling out a return for Cortes through the postseason, he shied away from describing the membership as “optimistic” about Cortes’s prospects of pitching within the playoffs this yr till Cortes’s shutdown interval has come to a detailed they usually “actually see what we’re coping with.”
1:30pm: The Yankees introduced that Cortes has been positioned on the 15-day injured record as a result of a flexor pressure in his left elbow. Stroman will begin tonight’s recreation in his place, and Poteet has been recalled from Triple-A to take Cortes’ spot on the roster.
The damage will remove Cortes as a consideration for the start of the American League Division Sequence on the very least, although flexor strains are not often short-term accidents. It’s truthful to wonder if Cortes might be an possibility for the Yankees at any level within the postseason. Supervisor Aaron Boone will probably present extra element when he subsequent meets with the media.
9:25am: The Yankees have punched their ticket to the postseason however are going through a probably worrisome damage situation, as lefty Nestor Cortes — who had been slated to begin tonight’s recreation towards the Orioles — is present process an MRI to judge his left elbow, as first reported by Jack Curry of the YES Community.
Assuming that takes him out of consideration to take the mound, the Yanks might go together with Marcus Stroman (who lately moved to the ’pen) or name up an arm from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Proper-handers Cody Poteet, Yoendrys Gomez and Will Warren are all on the 40-man roster and all recent. Poteet has pitched essentially the most large league innings of that trio this season (21) and had essentially the most success as effectively (2.14 ERA). Curry provides that Poteet is headed to the Bronx, suggesting he’ll get the nod, although there’s no official phrase from the group simply but.
Cortes, 29, has pitched a career-high 174 1/3 innings within the majors this season and been fairly efficient alongside the best way. He’s began 30 video games (additionally a career-high) and notched a 3.77 earned run common whereas fanning a stable 22.8% of his opponents towards a terrific 5.5% stroll charge. Although he’s a pronounced fly-ball pitcher (31.1% grounder charge), Cortes has scaled again on a number of the dwelling run troubles which have plagued him in his profession; he entered the season having averaged 1.49 round-trippers per 9 innings pitched however has scaled that again to a extra palatable (however nonetheless larger than common) 1.24 mark in 2024.
It’s not clear that Cortes could be part of the Yankees’ postseason rotation, however he’d actually play a key function within the bullpen even when the group opted to go together with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and one in all Luis Gil or Clarke Schmidt within the prime three spots. (Cole and Rodon are locks, well being allowing.) Cortes is not any stranger to working in reduction. He’s primarily been a starter in latest seasons however has however seen 37% of his profession appearances are available a reduction setting.
The Yankees have a pair of veteran left-handed choices within the ’pen regardless, with Tim Hill and Tim Mayza each on the roster, however neither can miss bats on the similar stage as Cortes. Mayza additionally carries alarming platoon splits, making him extra ideally suited for strict left-on-left matchups. Cortes would even be an apparent possibility to present supervisor Aaron Boone some size out of the bullpen within the occasion of a brief begin throughout postseason play.
All of these eventualities at the moment are on maintain because the Yankees await phrase on Cortes’ apparently ailing elbow. Taking a step again to take a look at the larger image for Cortes himself, a critical damage could be about as poorly timed as potential (not that there’s ever a “good” time for a serious well being setback). He’s headed into his closing offseason of arbitration eligibility and due a elevate on this yr’s $3.95MM wage. An damage that threatens a good portion of his 2025 season might depart Cortes as a non-tender candidate, provided that he’s slated to change into a free agent following the 2025 season. And, if there’s something at play that impacts his 2025 availability, that’d clearly reduce brief what needs to be his platform season prematurely of free company, the place he’d stand as a transparent candidate for a multi-year take care of good well being.
