Phillies Acquire Former Yankees All-Star Nestor Cortes Amid Pitching Struggles

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 20: Nestor Cortes #65 of the New York Yankees walks off the field during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on July 20, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

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The Philadelphia Phillies are seeking to bolster their starting rotation amid ongoing challenges, including injuries and inconsistent performances that have raised concerns about their pitching depth.

The team already relies on established starters Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Jesús Luzardo, but Wheeler and Nola have struggled recently, while rookie Andrew Painter remains an uncertain quantity. This has left Philadelphia in need of additional options to stabilize the rotation.

“The Phillies have had well-documented struggles in their starting rotation beyond the three-headed monster of Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesús Luzardo,” Max Ralph wrote for MLB.com. “The final two rotation spots are currently occupied by Aaron Nola (5.12 ERA) and Andrew Painter (6.43 ERA).”

In an effort to address these needs, the Phillies signed former New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes, a former All-Star, last week. Cortes, who has a career 3.94 ERA, was optioned to Single-A Clearwater for evaluation. His experience as both a starter and swingman made him an attractive target for a team searching for pitching depth.

Cortes burst onto the scene in 2021 with a 2.90 ERA across 22 appearances and followed that with a 2.44 ERA in 2022, earning his sole All-Star selection. However, his tenure with the Phillies has started underwhelming, as he was recently placed on the injured list, complicating the organization’s plans.

While Cortes’ potential remains, his immediate impact has been hindered by injury, leaving the Phillies with limited expectations for his contribution in the near term.

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