Phillies To Sign Nestor Cortes
The Phillies are reportedly signing veteran left-hander Nestor Cortes to a major league contract, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. Cortes is currently recovering from arm surgery. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com was among the first to report that Philadelphia and Cortes were negotiating a deal.
Cortes made eight starts in the majors last season. He began the year with Milwaukee, making two appearances before suffering a left elbow flexor strain. The Brewers later traded him to the Padres for Brandon Lockridge at the trade deadline. Cortes made six starts for San Diego before left biceps tendinitis ended his season. He became a free agent following the campaign.
The 31-year-old lefty spent multiple seasons as a reliable starter for the Yankees. In 2024, he recorded a 3.77 ERA over a career-high 174 1/3 innings. New York traded him and infielder Caleb Durbin to Milwaukee that offseason in exchange for closer Devin Williams. The trade ultimately failed to produce the expected results for either team. Williams struggled in New York and eventually lost his closer role, while Cortes managed just eight healthy innings with the Brewers. Durbin was traded again after one season, with Milwaukee acquiring emerging left-hander Kyle Harrison in return.
Francys Romero of BeisbolFR reported that the Red Sox, Yankees and White Sox were among the clubs interested in Cortes. He held a workout for scouts Tuesday before ultimately choosing Philadelphia, giving the Phillies another potential option for their rotation.
Philadelphia made several significant additions at the trade deadline but did not acquire a starting pitcher. Instead, the team opted to return Andrew Painter to the rotation as its No. 5 starter. The former top prospect had shown improvement in his return to the majors before allowing five earned runs Sunday against Minnesota. Painter has introduced a new changeup and increased his reliance on breaking pitches. While his recent performances indicate he could remain in the rotation, he has made only four starts since returning.
The details and length of Cortes’ contract have not yet been announced. The deal could potentially cover multiple seasons beyond the remainder of 2026. Such an arrangement would give Philadelphia greater flexibility to manage Cortes’ workload and recovery following offseason surgery. It may also have helped the Phillies beat out other contenders that were reportedly pursuing the veteran left-hander.
Leave a Reply