Ex-Yankees fan-favorite starter already suffers elbow strain
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers' gamble on former Yankees starter Nestor Cortes took a sharp turn this weekend, as the 30-year-old southpaw was placed on the injured list with an elbow flexor strain—a nagging issue that first surfaced late last season and has now reared its head again.
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Unfortunately for Cortes, this is déjà vu in the worst possible way.
An Injury That Should've Been Addressed Sooner
Cortes dealt with this very injury toward the tail end of the 2024 season with the Yankees but pushed through the discomfort to appear in the postseason. That decision came back to bite the Yankees in the worst way when Cortes, clearly not himself, served up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman in Game 1 of the World Series—an outing where his velocity dipped and his command fell apart.
Credit: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports
In hindsight, he never should've been on the mound.
Now, just a few weeks into the 2025 season, Cortes is back on the shelf and the Brewers are left picking up the pieces. The lefty got lit up in his first start of the year, coincidentally against the Yankees, giving up eight earned runs and five home runs in just two innings. It was a tough pill to swallow for both Cortes and Milwaukee, who expected him to be a reliable middle-of-the-rotation piece.
A Glimpse of Vintage Cortes… Before the Setback
Ironically, just as hope started to creep back in, Cortes put together a vintage outing against the Cincinnati Reds, tossing six scoreless innings and striking out six batters. It was the kind of performance that reminded fans of his 2022 All-Star form. The pitch movement was crisp, the sequencing was effective, and his confidence was noticeably higher.
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But it didn't last.
Shortly after that outing, the Brewers shut him down, citing discomfort in his throwing elbow. A flexor strain can be a tricky injury—often lingering, sometimes even a precursor to more serious issues like UCL damage. For a pitcher whose success relies more on deception and command than overpowering stuff, losing even a few ticks off his fastball can spell trouble.
Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Long Road Back
The timetable for Cortes' return isn't yet clear, and flexor strains don't always follow a predictable healing path. He'll need time, rest, and perhaps a reevaluation of his mechanics to ensure this doesn't become a season-long battle.
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Meanwhile, the Yankees—who traded Cortes to Milwaukee this offseason in exchange for closer Devin Williams—look like they made the right call. The move felt cold at the time, especially since Cortes was one of the more likable personalities in the clubhouse and a fan favorite. But his injury history and declining metrics toward the end of last season raised red flags.
With Williams already in the fold and Cortes sidelined once again, the early returns suggest the Yankees may have jumped ship at the perfect time.
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