The Philadelphia Phillies reportedly added a veteran pitcher for the stretch run. Philadelphia signed Nestor Cortes to a major league contract, as first reported Wednesday by Fansided's Robert Murray. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki confirmed that a deal is in place, pending a physical.
Cortes reached the majors with the Baltimore Orioles five years after the New York Yankees drafted him in the 36th round in 2013. He returned to the Yankees in 2019 but didn't break out until rejoining the franchise again in 2021 after a short 2020 stint with the Seattle Mariners. The crafty southpaw posted a 2.90 ERA in 2021.
Cortes followed that breakthrough by finishing eighth in the American League Cy Young Award voting during an All-Star campaign in which he registered a 2.44 ERA in 28 starts. Injuries limited him to a dozen shaky starts in 2023, but Cortes rebounded with a 3.77 ERA in a career-high 174.1 innings the following year. Yet the Yankees traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a deal for closer Devin Williams, and Cortes made just two starts for them before going to the San Diego Padres.
Cortes posted a 6.29 ERA in eight starts with both teams, allowing 36 hits and 20 walks over 34.1 innings. He underwent surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon in his left arm in October. Yet to pitch this season, Cortes joins a Phillies squad nursing a narrow lead in the NL wild-card race.
His precise role remains unclear, but the 31-year-old could work in the bullpen, pitch in a six-man rotation, or serve as a piggyback or opener alongside the struggling Andrew Painter.
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