Nestor Cortes is heading back to the big leagues, and this time he’ll be wearing red and white. The veteran lefty has agreed to a major league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray. Chris Cotillo of MassLive was among the first to report the sides were in talks.
The 31-year-old is working his way back from arm surgery, a procedure that reportedly had a nine-to-ten month recovery timetable. Cortes tore a small tendon in his left arm last October, per Francys Romero of BeisbolFR. His last season was a disjointed one: he made eight starts total, splitting time between the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. A left elbow flexor strain ended his time in Milwaukee, and San Diego shipped him from the deadline pickup to the disabled list after just six starts due to left biceps tendinitis.
Before all that, Cortes was a stable presence in the New York Yankees’ rotation. From 2021 to 2022, he posted a 2.61 ERA over 50 appearances, establishing himself as one of the best left-handers in the game. In 2024, he notched a 3.77 ERA across a career-high 174 1/3 innings. But his Yankees tenure ended on a sour note: he allowed a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series.
That offseason, New York sent Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin to Milwaukee for closer Devin Williams. The swap didn’t pan out for either side. Williams struggled in the Bronx and lost his closer role. Cortes was healthy for only eight innings in Milwaukee, and Durbin was dealt again after one season, though he did bring back breakout lefty Kyle Harrison.
The Phillies come into this signing with rotation depth questions. They made several notable acquisitions at the trade deadline, but none addressed the starting staff. Instead, they turned to Andrew Painter to take the No. 5 spot. The former top prospect had pitched well in his return to the majors until he allowed five earned runs on Sunday in Minnesota. It’s just a four-start sample, and the recent results suggest he could stick — but Philadelphia wanted options.
Cortes could provide that option. He threw for scouts on Tuesday, and he ultimately lands with a club that was one of several interested suitors. The Red Sox, Yankees, and White Sox were also in the mix, per Romero. The length of the deal hasn’t been released. It could be a multi-year agreement that locks him in place for at least another season, making it easier for Philadelphia to slow-play his return to action.
