Yankees Demoting All-Star Pitcher They Tried to Trade at Deadline

Getty Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes

A little more than a month ago, the Yankees raised eyebrows around MLB when it was reported that the team, in an attempt to upgrade their starting pitching rotation, put lefty Nestor Cortes on the trade block. Now, as the Yankees face a roster crunch with Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt slated to return against the Cubs this weekend, Cortes will miss a start and be moved to the bullpen.

It might not be a permanent demotion from the rotation, and manager Aaron Boone said that Cortes will piggyback in relief of either Gil or Schmidt as they make their ways back into the starting five (or six) during this critical stretch run.

Cortes is 8-10 with a 4.08 ERA this season, the product of a very solid opening three months, which was followed by a difficult July. He acknowledged seeing himself churned through the trade-rumor mill at the end of that month, telling reporters, “It’s all over Twitter.”

He ultimately was not traded, as the Yankees’ attempts to land Jack Flaherty fell apart late in the process. Cortes struggled in his first start after the deadline but responded with three great starts to close out August (3-0, 0.44 ERA in 20.2 innings), but was knocked around by the Cardinals (five runs in 4.0 innings) on September 1.

Nestor Cortes Took Demotion ‘All Right,’ Aaron Boone Says

Manager Aaron Boone explained the decision before the Yankees’ crushing walk-off loss to the Rangers on Tuesday night. He hinted that Cortes was not happy about the decision, but said he expects Cortes to be back among the starters next week.

“I think it just lines up the best way that way, having to get two people integrated back in and Clarke wanting to get built up,” Boone said, via the New York Post. “And with the off day [Thursday], not wanting to push too many people back on seven days, eight days, whatever. I think this made the most sense.

“Nestor will go back into the rotation in the Boston series and coming out of that we’ll go six that first time, assuming everything’s fine and good. And then at some point, hopefully we’ll have a decision to make because a lot of people are posting and doing well.”

The paper also reported that Boone claimed Cortes, who was an All-Star when he went 12-4 in 2022, was “all right” with the news.

“He wants to start, but he also wants to win,” Boone said. “He’ll be a pro. And again, he’s not out of the mix as a starter.

Yankees Pitching Staff Has Questions to Answer

The Yankees are still very much up in the air as far as settling on a starting rotation for the playoffs. They remain in a dogfight with the Orioles for the A.L. East, but are all but assured a wildcard spot. Gerrit Cole, assuming he can cross the finish line to the regular season healthy and in rhythm, figures to be the Game 1 starter in any Yankees playoff scenario.

After that, it is wide open.

Gil, at his best, has been the No. 2 starter for the Yankees, though he is well past his previous high in innings pitched. Carlos Rodon has been inconsistent, but has the veteran chops to warrant a spot, too, and was brilliant for six innings (one hit, one run, 11 strikeouts) as the starter on Tuesday.

But who else? Cortes always seems to be Boone’s expendable man in the rotation. Is he in or out? Will Schmidt show himself to be healthy enough down the stretch to warrant a spot? Has Marcus Stroman’s late run of success earned him enough trust to start a playoff game?

And, after Tuesday’s epic failure by Clay Holmes, will the starting five even matter if the Yankees do not have a competent closer?

There’s a month to go in the season, but the Yankees’ staff has plenty of questions to answer.