Nestor Cortes could rejoin the Yankees’ rotation in a matter of no time.
The southpaw, who went on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain on Aug. 25, is on-track to throw a bullpen on Wednesday, according to Aaron Boone. If that goes off without a hitch, Cortes could then throw to live hitters Saturday at the Yankees’ complex in Tampa. And if that goes well, Cortes would be positioned to return during New York’s next homestand, which begins this Friday and lasts through Sept. 11.
The Yankees, who also activated Clay Holmes on Monday, would love to have Cortes back in the rotation right away, but this time off could benefit him and the team down the road.
The 27-year-old has already thrown a career-high 131 innings this season, a fact the Yankees are well-aware of. Cortes’s trip to the I.L. is causing him to skip a few turns through the rotation, which may prove beneficial in September and the postseason.
“Hopefully it’s something that turns into a little bit of a blessing and keeps him a little fresher down the stretch and what we hope is through October,” Boone said. “Hopefully, that’s the case, but we’ll see. You never like to have somebody have an injury that knocks them down, especially in the midst of the season he’s having. But hopefully it is something that serves the rest of his body well.”
Cortes has enjoyed a career year, as Boone alluded to. A 36th-round draft pick turned first-time All-Star, he owns a 2.68 ERA over 23 starts. A deceptive contortionist rather than a power pitcher, Cortes has struck out 25.9 percent of the batters he’s faced while walking 5.8 percent.
