New York Yankees 2022 All-Star left-hander “Nasty” Nestor Cortes climbed from Clearwater to Lehigh Valley on Saturday, advancing in a single leap from Single-A to Triple-A in his comeback with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The transfer comes two days after Cortes’ Single-A season ended, positioning the left-hander as a possible September call-up or postseason bullpen choice for Philadelphia.
FanSided’s Robert Murray first reported that Philadelphia had reached an settlement with Cortes on August 19, and the membership confirmed the signing later that day. Cortes declared free company after the 2025 season, however went unsigned for 9 months as he recovered from arm surgical procedure.
The deal is a one-year contract that pays a prorated $1.5 million if Cortes makes the most important league roster and $250,000 if he stays within the minors, in accordance with MLB Commerce Rumors. Philadelphia designated right-hander Brian Keller for project to clear a 40-man roster spot for him on Aug. 19.
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Nestor Cortes’ Path Again to the Philadelphia Phillies
Interim supervisor Don Mattingly known as Cortes “depth” and “one other man that’s bought expertise,” in accordance with MLB.com. The Phillies failed so as to add a beginning pitcher on the commerce deadline, selecting as an alternative to depend on scrap-heap pickup Cortes as rotation insurance coverage for a playoff push.
Cortes had not appeared in an expert recreation since a left biceps tendon surgical procedure in October 2025 sidelined him for many of a 12 months. That process adopted a misplaced season cut up between Milwaukee and San Diego, the place an elbow flexor pressure in April value him 102 video games in accordance with The Related Press, earlier than a biceps damage ended his 12 months in September.
Cortes additionally handled a left rotator cuff pressure in 2023 and a late-season elbow flexor pressure in 2024 that ended his Yankees marketing campaign earlier than that October’s postseason.
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Nestor Cortes’ Harm Historical past Earlier than the Philadelphia Phillies
Cortes agreed to open his Phillies profession with the Single-A Clearwater Threshers to construct up pitch depend as he rehabbed from the surgical procedure. However the Threshers positioned him on a 7-day injured checklist on Aug. 26, earlier than he had thrown a pitch for the membership, in accordance with The Athletic. He was activated Sept. 8 and made his organizational debut that day, hanging out a batter and permitting one run as his fastball by no means exceeded 91.4 mph.
Clearwater’s season ended two days later when the Tampa Tarpons accomplished a sweep of the Florida State League West Division Collection, closing out the Threshers, winners of the league’s first-half West Division title with a 7-5 win, in accordance with the league’s official transaction log. With no extra A-ball video games left to pitch, Triple-A Lehigh Valley grew to become the plain touchdown spot for a veteran already stretching again out.
Cortes made an All-Star crew with the Yankees in 2022 earlier than New York traded him to Milwaukee for nearer Devin Williams in December 2024. Now 31, he’s auditioning to show his left arm nonetheless has sufficient left for a pennant race, with Triple-A hitters serving as the ultimate take a look at earlier than Philadelphia decides whether or not he belongs on a September roster. He completed 2025 with a 2-4 report and 6.29 ERA throughout eight begins cut up between Milwaukee and San Diego, in accordance with MLB Commerce Rumors.
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