Latest news with #Cortes
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brewers get great pitching update amid scary NL rise
The post Brewers get great pitching update amid scary NL rise appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Milwaukee Brewers always land on their feet. Even with the roster churn year after year, they find a way to compete for the NL Central crown. And their surge over the past few months have brought them all the way up to the NL Central lead, as they currently own a one-game cushion over the Chicago Cubs. But things may get better for the Brewers yet, especially when they received an incredible injury update for offseason acquisition Nestor Cortes. Cortes was the piece the Brewers acquired in the trade that sent Devin Williams, their All-Star closer, to the New York Yankees. While Williams hasn't been at his best in New York, Cortes has pitched in only two games for his new ballclub — hardly making this trade a huge win for the Brewers. But they will have roster decisions to make soon. The former All-Star lefty recently made his fourth rehab start for the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate in Nashville and threw 93 pitches, as per Adam McCalvy of Cortes allowed just two runs (one earned) in 5.2 innings of work, striking out nine batters while giving a free pas just once. At present, the Brewers already have an established starting rotation that they may not want to mess with while it's working. Freddy Peralta and Jose Quintana have been consistent atop their rotation, with the former sporting a 2.85 ERA across 21 starts (116.2 innings). Quintana hasn't been as good as Peralta, but a 3.49 ERA in 14 starts (77.1 innings) is nothing to scoff at from the 36-year-old lefty. But it's the rest of the Brewers' rotation that is rounding into shape. Brandon Woodruff is back from injury and is better than ever, Jacob Misiorowski has been brilliant for the first six starts of his career, and and it's difficult to remove Quinn Priester from the rotation considering how well he's been pitching this season. Perhaps Cortes is bound for a bullpen role in his return. Brewers' pitching corps set to get Nestor Cortes back from injury With a return to the rotation unlikely (or perhaps the Brewers make room, turning it into a six-man rotation for the meantime?), Cortes may be slated for the bullpen. This should at least help him get back to game speed on the Major League-level. Cortes could be a long reliever for Milwaukee. That seems to be the role he's best suited for, especially when the Brewers' lefties off the bullpen (DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, and Jared Koenig) have been doing their jobs quite well. Related: MLB rumors: Insider goes all in with Brewers' Eugenio Suárez trade pitches Related: MLB rumors: Ken Rosenthal pleas for Brewers to go all out for Eugenio Suarez trade
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brewers rumors: The former All-Star pitcher Milwaukee is willing to trade
The post Brewers rumors: The former All-Star pitcher Milwaukee is willing to trade appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Milwaukee Brewers have charged up the standings in recent weeks. They have won 22 of their last 30 games to tie the Chicago Cubs for the top record in the National League Central. With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the Brewers could deal Nestor Cortes Jr to improve their hitting. USA Today's Bob Nightengale has the latest ahead of Thursday's deadline. 'The Milwaukee Brewers will start listening to offers for starter Nestor Cortes, who completed his last rehab start,' Nightengale wrote. Cortes was part of the package the Brewers got from the New York Yankees when they traded closer Devin Williams. The lefty starter has made only two starts, allowing eight earned runs in eight innings. He has been on the injured list ever since with a flexor strain in his left elbow. Cortes is one of many MLB-caliber starters on the Brewers' roster. And with his contract expiring at the end of the year, they could flip him for an infielder. Considering their postseason failures in recent years, Milwaukee should be looking to patch every hole in its roster before October. Despite picking him up from the Yankees, the Brewers simply do not need Cortes in their rotation. With Freddy Peralta, Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Jose Quintana, Quinn Priester, and Brandon Woodruff, they have the arms. But Joey Ortiz has been disappointing at shortstop this year, leaving a gaping hole in their infield. The Yankees already got both Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario, two infielders on the market. But the Brewers could land the biggest name with Eugenio Suarez from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona may want Cortes if they dump both Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen before the deadline. Yoan Moncada and Ke'Bryan Hayes are the other third basemen on the market that the Brewers could pick up before the deadline. Related: Nyjer Morgan nails security guard during Brewers alumni home run derby Related: Brewers' Nick Mears suffered injury warming up before disastrous outing vs. Marlins
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada-Mexico arrangement perfect fit for Pony Corral musician José 'Pepê' Cortes
'I usually do this one later on in the night but since I just had a request for it, here we go, off to Mexico!' It's Saturday evening at the Pony Corral Restaurant & Bar on Pembina Highway. Entertainer José 'Pepê' Cortes launches into a rollicking version of La Bamba, diners on the eatery's spacious riverside patio put down their forks and knives to clap along to the Ritchie Valens hit, which Cortes performs on guitar with the assistance of a pre-recorded backing track. Given his high-spirited delivery, one would never guess that Cortes, a summertime fixture at the Fort Garry hotspot since the mid-2000s, has sung the crowd-pleaser 'oh, about a million times,' over the years. Jose (Pepe) Cortes, who is a one-man show, performs on the riverside patio at the Pony Corral Restaurant & Bar three nights a week. 'The thing I try to remind myself is that there's always going to be somebody here for the first time who has never heard me do La Bamba, which, I suppose because I'm from Mexico, people kind of expect,' Cortes remarks later, during a break between sets. That's fine with him, he continues. His job, he feels, is to make guests forget about whatever might be troubling them, if only for an hour or two. So when he spots somebody beaming and raising their glass during La Bamba or Besamé Mucho, another Mexican standard that's part of his act, he tells himself, 'mission accomplished.' Cortes, 66, was born in Mexico City, the second eldest of five siblings. Growing up, he was a big fan of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, he says, casually dressed in sandals, grey shorts and a pale-blue short-sleeve dress shirt . By the time he was 11, he was teaching himself to play popular songs he heard on the radio, on an acoustic guitar borrowed from a relative. Not that he always understood what he was singing about. 'We did take English in school but no, there were lots of times I didn't have a clue what the lyrics meant, I was mostly just pretending,' he says, mentioning he has answered to the nickname Pepê — even his mother calls him that — for as long as he can remember. Before long his older brother Eduardo, Lalo for short, began accompanying him on drums. Cortes guesses he was 12 or 13 when a sign went up in their neighbourhood, advertising for bands to volunteer their services for an outdoor music festival. After talking a pair of classmates into joining them, the foursome made its official debut as El Dilema, covering rock tunes by American groups such as Grand Funk Railroad, with Cortes handling lead vocals. El Dilema was well-received. Before long the group was getting booked for community dances around town, now billed as Children owing to how young they were. The band eventually expanded to seven members and by the mid-1970s, Children had become a popular nightclub draw, not just in Mexico City but in more touristy destinations, as well. Cortes was 21 in 1979 when Children was booked for a weeklong engagement at the Princess Hotel in Acapulco. Also appearing there was a band called Zig Zag, which got its start in Mexico before relocating to Minneapolis. Following one of Children's performances, the members of Zig Zag told Cortes they were impressed with his voice, especially when he sang falsetto on Bee Gees numbers. Also, would he be interested in going with them when they headed back to the States? It seemed like a great opportunity and after discussing it with his bandmates, he made the difficult decision to leave Mexico. Supplied José 'Pepe' Cortes in Mexico with the band Children 'Zig Zag mostly did classic rock — Boston, Kansas, that kind of stuff — and we used to get standing ovations for our version of Bohemian Rhapsody,' Cortes says with a laugh, adding besides the Twin Cities, they were also getting booked for shows in North and South Dakota, and, later on, in Canada. In August 1984 Zig Zag was hired for a social being held at the Canadian Forces Base in Shilo. In attendance was a pharmaceuticals rep originally from Deloraine who had relocated to Brandon. Cortes struck up a conversation with her between sets. Within a year, they were married and living in Winnipeg. Cortes continued his musical career after moving to the city. He started off with a country-rock outfit called Raven before being introduced in 1987 to Wayne Hlady, founder of the Beatles tribute act Free Ride. For the next 18 years, Cortes-as-George Harrison played guitar and sang with Free Ride. It was a lucrative gig, he says, but because the band was often booked as many as six nights a week, it caused a strain in his marriage. 'We had two kids, a boy and girl. I was Mr. Mom during the day, cooking the meals and seeing them off to school, but the minute my wife got home, I'd be out the door,' he says. Free Ride definitely helped pay the bills, he goes on, but still, his wife desired a normal life, one that would enable them to socialize with family and friends on the weekend, instead of him always appearing at this bar or that. He understood her point — he even tried his hand at a 'real' job working for a local landscaping firm — but in the end they had grown too far apart. Following his divorce in 2005, Cortes made the decision to part ways with Free Ride. For a while he'd been writing songs of his own, but because Free Ride was all-Beatles, all-the-time, he knew there would never be an opportunity for him to perform his compositions in front of a live audience. One of the first places that hired him after he struck out on his own was the Pembina Highway Pony Corral. There he was encouraged to mix in original tunes alongside time-tested favourites such as Under the Boardwalk, Imagine and Brown Eyed Girl. He also returned to his roots, by sprinkling in Spanish-style songs popularized by the likes of the Gipsy Kings and Santana. By 2011, Cortes, who did three sets a night, Wednesday through Saturday, had developed a loyal following. That summer he was on Facebook when he spotted a message from a person he'd gone to school with in Mexico City. He remembered she used to be pals with his first girlfriend. Out of curiousity he asked if the two of them were still in touch. They were, she replied. SUPPLIED Free Ride as The Rolling Stones. Jose 'Pepe' Cortes is Keith Richards,, front Five minutes later, he received a second message, this time from his ex, a woman named Gabriela. 'She was like 'hi, how are you.' She told me she was living in Tequisquiapan, about three hours from Mexico City. After messaging back and forth a bit more, she said I should come for a visit, which I ended up doing that winter.' Cortes fell in love with both Gabriela and the town, notable for its quaint cobblestone streets and rustic houses. On the flight back to Winnipeg he thought if he could land a gig there, he'd probably move. Four years later he was preparing to do just that. Ahead of his imminent departure, Peter Ginakes, owner of the Pony Corral, proposed they stage a 'Farewell Pepê' concert in his honour, on the patio. That night the place was jam-packed, with lineups stretching into the parking lot. As Cortes was putting away his guitar for what he thought would be the last time at that locale, Ginakes approached him to say, 'You know, there isn't any reason we can't do this every summer.' Cortes, who has dual citizenship, refers to his current situation, which sees him living and performing in Tequisquiapan for nine months of the years, and spending June through August in Lorette with his daughter Sam and her husband, as the 'best of both worlds.' Not only does he get to see his two adult children as well as a pair of grandchildren, ages five and nine, when he's here he holds down a Las Vegas-style residency at the Pony Corral three nights a week, Thursday to Saturday. Added bonus: his son Matthew occasionally supports him on bongo drums. 'It's funny because couples who used to come see me at the Pony 20 years ago, back when they were dating, now show up with their kids to catch the show,' he says. 'The other night my own grandkids were here and the oldest one spent the whole time in one of the Tiki huts, banging away on the table like he was playing drums.' Cortes, who has recorded four CDs of original material, figures he currently has close to 150 songs in his repertoire, including what he refers to as the calypso medley, which he put the finishing touches to in Mexico, this past winter. Jose (Pepe) Cortes on the patio at the riverside Pony Corral Restaurant & Bar (Pier7) at 1700 Pembina Hwy. 'For that one, I kick off things off with Lionel Richie's All Night Long, then switch to Kokomo by the Beach Boys, September by Earth, Wind and Fire and finally Hot Hot Hot (by Buster Poindexter). If that doesn't get people tapping their toes, nothing will.' And although Gabriela has only come with him to Winnipeg once — she found it too chilly, even in June, he says with a wink — he intends to make the annual trip north for as long as Ginakes and the Pony Corral will have him. 'The only tough part is I'm not as young as I used to be,' he says, polishing off the last of his coffee. 'Lots of times customers will go, 'Pepê, it's so good to see you,' and offer to buy me a drink. I have to tell them thanks, but no thanks… or at least to wait till Saturday night, when I don't have to work the next day.' Monthly What you need to know now about gardening in Winnipeg. An email with advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing. David Sanderson Dave Sanderson was born in Regina but please, don't hold that against him. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Perth Now
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Unretired Aussie wants world title by NYE
Unretired Australian boxer Andrew Moloney is promising a world title by year's end as he prepares for a Mexican debut against Argi Cortes. The veterans will wage an IBF super flyweight eliminator war in Durango on August 9, three weeks later than it was initially scheduled for in Monterrey. Moloney (27-4) furiously declared he was quitting the sport after losing a controversial points decision to Pedro Guevara, for the interim WBC super flyweight title, in Perth last May. But the former secondary WBA belt holder, 34 and 11 years on from his professional debut, had a change of heart and is now two wins away from his biggest boxing moment. "This is a must-win," he told AAP after landing in Mexico. Moloney is 6-2 since losing his controversial Joshua Franco trilogy that began in the MGM Grand's Las Vegas bubble due to COVID-19 in 2020. "It's been years of hard work to get back to this position and I won't let this opportunity slip," he said. "I will be world champion again before the end of 2025. "I'm extremely excited about this fight. "I'm on fire in the gym at the moment and preparation has been perfect. "Cortes is a good, well-rounded fighter. "He can box and can brawl when he needs to, but I believe his style suits me perfectly and believe I am better than him in every department." Cortes (27-4-2) has only once fought outside of Mexico, taking Junto Nakatani the distance for the first time in a 2023 title bout months after the Japanese star had delivered Moloney a brutal final-round knockout. The victor next month will be next in line to face fellow Mexican Willibaldo Garcia, who edged countryman Rene Calixto to claim the vacant IBF crown in May. "He puts a lot of pressure on his opponents but he definitely has holes in his game," Moloney said of the IBF champion. "That is a fight I'm very confident of winning but I can't look past Cortes yet. "I enjoy going to enemy territory and fighting in my opponents' backyard. "I have never been to Mexico and all of my favourite fighters are Mexican so I'm looking forward to the experience."
Russia Today
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Zelensky not dependable partner for US
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and his chief of staff Andrey Yermak are not 'dependable' partners for the US, former Trump adviser Steve Cortes has said, pointing to transparency and corruption issues in Kiev. Cortes made the statement in a reply on X to Ukrainian journalist Diana Panchenko, who had stressed the importance of knowing 'the difference between helping Ukraine and helping Zelensky.' She claimed that 'Ukrainians want peace' while 'Zelensky wants money and to stay in power.' 'Exactly,' Cortes responded, stating that in order for the US-Ukraine partnership to work, Kiev 'must become transparent and corruption-free.' 'Yermak and Zelensky are not dependable, believable partners for the United States,' he said. Cortes, who previously served as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, has long been critical of the Ukrainian government's internal practices. Earlier this month, he published a commentary warning of waning trust in Kiev's leadership, singling out Yermak as a central figure in what he described as systemic corruption, calling him Ukraine's 'co-president' and accusing him of shielding officials under criminal investigation. Cortes argued that Yermak has become a nuisance in UK-Ukraine relations, noting bipartisan frustration with the aide. He specifically cited Yermak's role in the dismissal of General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, a popular and respected military leader, while officials like Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Chernyshov—who has faced corruption allegations—remained in office. Chernyshov, however, was ultimately sacked earlier this week amid an ongoing cabinet reshuffle. The former adviser's remarks echo longstanding concerns expressed by Donald Trump, who has also described Zelensky as the 'primary obstacle' to peace and has repeatedly criticized the scale of US support for Ukraine and the lack of accountability for the billions of dollars sent to Kiev. In March, Trump adviser David Sacks also called for a full audit of US aid to Ukraine, claiming there had been 'tons of stories' about corruption and the misuse of American weapons. He said the only remaining question was 'how much' had been stolen, calling Kiev's leadership massively corrupt.
