The Philadelphia Phillies completed a sweep over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night and have now won six consecutive games.
They also made a notable roster addition, agreeing to a major league contract with former New York Yankees All-Star left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes.
The Phillies added Cortes to the 40-man roster but optioned him to Single-A Clearwater, while designating Brian Keller for assignment.
Don Mattingly Reacts to Cortes Signing
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly reacted to the signing and revealed that he’s hardly seen Cortes pitch, aside from “a few pitches on TV.”
“I just kind of heard about it last night,” Mattingly said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Nestor pitch, besides a few pitches on TV and things like that. I’ve never seen him in person, so we’ll see. I think it’s depth. It’s another guy that’s got experience, and obviously we wouldn’t have signed him if they didn’t think he’s throwing the ball pretty good.”
“Nasty Nestor?”
Don Mattingly couldn’t say much else regarding @JonHeyman’s report that the Phillies have signed left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes. Cortes, who had an injury-plagued 2025, had a 6.29 ERA in just 8 games for the Brewers and Padres last season. He had a 3.77 ERA in… pic.twitter.com/Nd9yQ6wbvF
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) August 19, 2026
Cortes’ MLB Career
Cortes has pitched for five different teams throughout his MLB career, spending five seasons with the Yankees.
He made his lone All-Star appearance in 2022, when he posted a 12-4 record with a 2.44 ERA and 163 strikeouts across 28 starts.
In 2025, he pitched for both the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres and struggled. He made eight total starts between the two teams during an injury-riddled season, posting a 6.29 ERA across 34 1/3 innings.
Cortes has spent the entire 2026 season recovering from surgery on his throwing arm. He now joins a Philadelphia team in the midst of an NL postseason push, and whether he can contribute remains unknown as he begins ramping up in the minor leagues.
Don Mattingly Reacts to Phillies Signing Former Yankees All-Star Pitcher