Nestor Cortes Jr.

New York Yankees: One of the most cherished rivalry in sports has been thrown under the bus

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For New York Yankees fans, what could be more perfect than a hot, humid summer night at Yankee Stadium and the beginning of a four-game series between the long-standing rivalry of the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox? Nothing, it’s a baseball fan’s dream. But that dream may have been thrown under the bus, no players on the field, no fans in the stands, and no hot dogs sold. Not because the tarp was on the field, Not because thunderstorms were forecast, It was because the horrid coronavirus has not left us.

Just like the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis  Cardinals last year lost games to the coronavirus, the Yankees have lost at least one game to the ugly virus. The Yankees had to postpone two games earlier in the season against the Phillies when 8 in the traveling squad had to go under the MLB mandated Covid protocols. Back then, it was staff, not players. This time that caused the postponement, it’s the players that have been affected.

Three players have tested positive, pitchers Nestor Cortes Jr., Jonathan Losisiga, and Wandy Peralta. Three others are waiting for further tests due to testing positive on a first quick test. Those include Aaron Judge, Gio Urshela, and catcher Kyle Higashioka. The pitchers were all vaccinated. Of those that have tested positive, all but one received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The New York Yankees were the first team in baseball to reach an 85% vaccination rate.

No vaccine ever developed has been 100% percent effective, and that is why we continue to see uncommon breakthrough cases, cases where individuals that have been vaccinated get the virus. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the least effective of the three vaccines. It is 72% effective against getting the virus, moderate Covid-19, and 85% effective against severe Covid-19. According to a March report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 90% effective at preventing infections following full vaccination.

With the new Delta variant of the virus, people are still dying from this dread and preventable disease. As an example, Connecticut has one of the fewest new infection rates in the country. Nevertheless, it is one of 42 states that has had increasing rates in the last two weeks, primarily due to the Delta strain that is far more infectious. In the past two weeks, the infection rate has nearly doubled from 0.67 to a 1.29%. The new infection rate means they had 126 new cases yesterday. Over 90% of the new cases are among people who have not been vaccinated. The only way we can return to complete normal is if everyone is vaccinated. There are extremely few valid reasons not to get vaccinated.

Adding to the alarm for the New York Yankees and all of baseball is that slugger Aaron Judge traveled to the All-Star game last week, where he accompanied Yankee ace Gerrit Cole and closer Aroldis Chapman and came in contact with dozens of other players from across the country. This leads to the assumption that the All-Star game could potentially turn out to be a spreader event.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman spoke to reporters Thursday night.

“We have three positives, and we have three pending that we’ve had rapid tests on,” Cashman said, saying the three positive rapid tests are being confirmed with additional lab work.” He further added that the two teams are scheduled to play Friday night at Yankee Stadium. However he added the caviate “we are in a very fluid situation right now.”

It has yet to be seen what impact this will have on the New York Yankees short term. But losing their best reliever Jonathan Loaisiga and one of the best new starters in Nestor Cortes Jr. certainly won’t be helpful as the Yankees try to dig themselves out of a hole in the AL East. If slugger Aaron Judge and third baseman Gio Urshela lose time it could be catastrophic.

It has yet to be determined if the entire series will be played or if a weekend doubleheader will be scheduled to make up for the postponed game. Stay with EmpireSportsMedia.com for all the latest Yankee developments.

 

 

 

New York Yankees News: Red Sox Yankee game postponed due to Covid protocols

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aaron judge, yankees

The New York Yankees Red Sox game has been postponed due to several Yankees players going on the Covid list and protocols. The Yankees were the first team in baseball to get 85% of its players vaccinated for the coronavirus, but the virus is unrelenting and has again raised its ugly head. The postponement was first reported the Buster Olney of ESPN.

Eight Yankees are under Covid protocols, including right-hand hitter Aaron Judge, Kyle Higashioka, and third baseman Gio Urshela. Previously Nestor Cortes Jr. was reportedly also affected by the virus. Few details are immediately available, but as more information becomes known, you will find it here on EmpireSportsMedia.com.

Judge who attended the All-Star game came in contact with Gerrit cole and Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman. Out of an abundance of caution, the Red Sox are also being tested. The entire Red Sox Yankee serious may be in jeopardy.

 

New York Yankees Player Profiles: Nestor Cortes Jr. and Rougned Odor create sparks (videos)

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There is no question that the New York Yankees have been sluggish in pitching to this point in pitching but primarily with lackluster hitting. However, two Yankees are making a difference providing some sparks to a team that seemed to have little urgency and energy. Those two players are Nestor Cortes Jr. and Rougned (Rougie) Odor. Cortes Jr. has been a good reliever for the Yankees, but recently he has become a good starter with his wacky windups and surprising pitch selection. His stuff is so nasty it’s Nestor Nasty. When in the lineup, Odor provides some excitement as he swings for the fences in every at-bat. He plays with a passion seldom seen.

Nestor Cortes Jr.

The New York Yankees seem not to know what to do with Nestor Cortes Jr.; they drafted him and fired him twice, now; in his third stint with the Yankees, he is gradually making a name for himself. Although a great reliever, he appears to be a dependable starter for the Yankees. He has two starts winning both of them.

Cortes Jr. is an old fashion pitcher, a real pitcher that constantly surprises his opponents with an often whacky windup and throwing any pitch at any time. He keeps hitters off-balance, often making them laugh. In a game against the Angels, he faced the great Shohei Ohtani. When Cortes made a bunch of strange moves on the mound, Ohtani laughed, thinking that Cortes was afraid to pitch to him; the fact was that he was playing with Ohtani.  Cortes is afraid of nothing and always has fun on the mound. He can’t blow away hitters, but his mental game wins.

Cortes Jr. throws a four-seam fastball that averages approximately 89 miles per hour. He also throws a slider and a curveball. His curveball has been registered as slow as 47 miles per hour. Hitters never know what they are going to get from Cortes. He throws all of his pitches in any situation. His style has given Yankee fans something to enjoy.

Cortés was born in Surgidero de Batabano, Cuba. His father won a lottery when Nestor was just a baby, and his father moved the family to Hialeah, Florida. Cortes started playing baseball at the age of 5. He pitched for Hialeah High School and Florida International University. The Yankees selected Cortes in the 36th round of the 2013 draft. He started in the Gulf Coast League, but the Yankees didn’t protect him, and the Orioles claimed him in the Rule 5 draft. He made his Major League debut as a Baltimore Oriole on the first day of the 2018 season.

On April 13, 2018, he was returned to the Yankees. He played in one game for the Trenton Thunder, but he advanced to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, combining a 6–6 record and a 3.68 ERA in 24 games. In spring training in 2019, he didn’t make the team and again started the season in Scranton. On May 9th, he was advanced to the Stadium. On June 15, he earned his first Major League win but again was sent down to Scranton, where he completed the season 5-1, but in November, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners. He bombed with the Mariners and selected free agency.

In a third stint, the New York Yankees signed him to a minor league contract. He came up to the Stadium on May 20, 2021. His record since then is 0-0 in nine games, two of which were starts. The result is a 1.05 ERA. The Yankees have won both of his starts.

Rougned Odor

New York Yankee fans found out six days into the 2021 season that the Yankees made an intriguing trade. They traded with the Texas Rangers acquiring Rougned Odor. Odor was to sit on the bench. The 27-year-old Odor had $27 million left on his contract; most will be paid by the Rangers while the Yankees will pay him the MLB minimum per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The question for Yankees fans was why Odor. Well, for starters, he is a lefty bat with power. Odor consistently hits home runs, 30 in 2019 and the equivalent of 26 in the shortened 2020 season. With his lefty power, the short porch at Yankee Stadium looms huge. Odor is a second baseman by trade, so the Yankees have platooned him with DJ LeMahieu.

With New York Yankee fans knowing little to nothing about this still young man, let’s find out his origins and what got him to the Bronx. Rougned Roberto Odor was born on February 3, 1994, in Maracaibo, Venezuela.  He has been playing baseball since the age of 2. [1]. He previously played for the Texas Rangers from 2014 to 2020. The Rangers traded Odor to the Yankees on April 6, 2021. [2]

After three years in the Texas Rangers, minor league system, the Rangers promoted Odor to the major leagues on May 8, 2014. Odor finished the year hitting a .259 batting average, 39 runs, 14 doubles, 9 home runs, 4 stolen bases, and 48 RBIs in 386 at-bats over 110 games. In 2015 Odor was the opening day second baseman, but he struggled mightily and was demoted but was shortly called back up. He finished the season hitting .261, with 16 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 54 runs scored, but he also led the league in errors.

In 2016 he finished the year with a .271 batting average, 33 home runs. In 2017 he did something few players have ever done; in the season opener against the Cleveland Indians, Odor hit two home runs in his first two at-bats of the season. During the last few years, 2018-20, he had a slash line of .209/.273/.425 with 58 home runs over the span. Other than a relatively low batting average, and even though he hits many home runs, he also strikes out frequently. In acquiring Odor, the Yankees may have seen something that the Rangers haven’t seen and can find a way to fix that.

A lefty bat with power is dangerous for Yankee opponents at Yankee Stadium; hopefully, the Yankees will find a way to use Odor with the best results.

On a personal note, his nickname is “Rougie.” Odor is deeply involved in horses and the sport of toros coleados. His involvement in horses started when he visited his mother’s family on weekends, who had horses. His long-range plan is to build a horse farm in North Texas and move his entire family from Venezuela.

Yankees’ Nasty Nestor does it again: ‘He was huge for us’

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New York Yankees, Nestor Cortes Jr.

The New York Yankees earned their 45th victory of the season last night, 4-0 against the tough Houston Astros in Minute Maid Park. For the Bombers, stringing together a few wins is a must, as is showing they can get the job done against top teams.

One of the main drivers of the victory on Friday night was Yankees’ starting pitcher Nestor Cortes. Summoned to the biggest of stages due to recent injuries to the staff, most notably Mike King’s, Cortes has been a breath of fresh air for the rotation, and yesterday, he kept the Astros off the scoreboard for 4 2/3 frames.

“He was huge for us tonight, just like he’s seemed to be every time he pitches for us,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said to MLB.com.

He gave the Yankees more than what was asked from him

Boone had stated he was looking to get three or four quality innings from Cortes, but the southpaw ended up covering 4 2/3 innings on 74 pitches. He wasn’t particularly overpowering, but he used his whole arsenal of fastball, curveballs and sliders, not to mention changes in his delivery, to keep them off balance all night long.

Cortes’ ERA is now 1.05.

“I think my stuff has gotten a little better. My command has gotten a lot better too,” Cortes said. “I think that’s what’s working for me most. A lot of people think I’m a crafty lefty, which I am to a certain point, but I think my pitches have gotten a little crisper.”

“No moment is too big for him,” Gardner added. “He’s a guy that’s very even-keeled, works hard and always stays ready.”

 

One can’t help but think Cortes may have a spot in the Yankees’ rotation for as long as he continues to pitch like this. After all the injuries, and the ineffectiveness of some guys, having these kinds of performances out of nowhere is what drives teams to the next level.

New York Yankees: Takeaways from the Yankees’ shutout of the Houston Astros

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New York Yankees, Brett Gardner

With the All-Star Game in the headlights, the New York Yankees last night started an important series with their hated rival, the Houston Astros. After taking the Seattle Mariners series, the Yankees really wanted to take this one, too, going into the break. With Nestor Cortes Jr. on the mound, the Yankees easily took game one from the Astros, only allowing them three hits in the game. The final score was 4-0 for the shutout of the Astros. Yankee ace Gerrit Cole will be on the mound for game two, Saturday night.

Nestor Cortes Jr. was brilliant against the Astros

Nestor Cortes Jr. took the mound last night to pitch the first game of three against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Cortes Jr. has been a good reliever for the Yankees holding down a 1.02 ERA in nine relief appearances. But the Yankees have now started him in two games while starter Corey Kluber has been on the 60 day IL. He has not disappointed.

Cortes Jr went into the fifth inning for his longest game as a starter and season-high 69 pitches allowing only two hits. Cortes Jr. was absolutely brilliant in his second start. In a shorter start against the New York Mets, he also impressed, allowing only two hits. He managed all of his pitches masterfully against a powerful Astros lineup. The Yankees won both of his starts, including the shutout last night. Cortes Jr.is quickly becoming one of the best Yankee starters, albeit a small sample.

Boone took Cortes Jr. out of the game when he walked the number nine hitter, and with two outs and only a two-run cushion, and Altuve coming up, Boone called on Lucas Luetge, who fanned Altuve for the final out. Luetge pitched 1.1 innings of no-hit ball. Chad Green gave the Yankees two innings giving up just one hit. Jonathan Loaisiga came in to close it out the ninth. The Astros could only get 3 hits off of Yankee pitching.

“Gardy” powers New York Yankees to a win

It’s no secret that Brett Gardner, although being just as sharp in the outfield, has suffered greatly when at the plate. Going into last night, he was hitting just .186 and hadn’t got a hit in his last five games. But last night, in a big spot with two on, Gardy came through with a big two-out double down the right-field line, scoring two and winning the game for the Yankees.

The New York Yankees got twelve hits off of Jake Odorizzi and company, with every Yankee getting a hit except for Giancarlo Stanton. In the seventh inning, Aaron Judge got the 500th hit of his career. Gardner, Wade, LeMahieu, and Judge all had extra-base hits in the contest. LeMahieu’s double resulted in two more insurance runs for the Yankees.

Michael King’s freak accident

Michael King was put on the 10 day IL yesterday retroactive to July 5th. The Yankees have suffered some major injuries this season, but this one was unusual. Apparently, while in the weight room, King jammed his finger between two weights. Boone said he had a contusion of the right middle finger. King tried to play catch before the last game with the Seattle Mariners, but that didn’t go well, and he was placed on the IL. He was to be a possible starter for last night’s game in Houston.

 

New York Yankees Recap: Yankees make a statement shutting out the Astros in game one

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Tonight the New York Yankees met up with the hated Houston Astros at a packed Minutemaid Park in Houston for the first game of a three-game set. Nestor Cortes Jr. was on the mound for the Yankees and Jake Odorizzi for the Astros. If there are two teams in baseball that don’t like each other, it’s the Yankees and Astros. It was proven that the Houston Astros cheated in the 2017 season and postseason. That cheating may have cost the Yankees a trip to the World Series and Aaron Judge an MVP award that instead went to the Astros Jose Altuve.

In the first inning, Odorizzi faced the Yankees DJ LeMahieu, who ground out to left. Aaron Judge singled. Gary Sanchez singled for back-to-back singles. With men on first and second and one out, Giancarlo Staton hit into a double play to end the threat. Jose Altuve led off the bottom by being tagged on running for first. Myles Straw ground out to second. Michael Brantley lined out to Gardner in second. No score.

At the top of the second, Gleyber Torres faced off against Odorizzi and singled to center. Rougie Odor always singing for the fences stung out swinging. Gio Urshela singled. Brett Gardner, who has not hit well off of Odorizzi, flew out to left-center. Tyler Wade, with two on and two outs, popped out to left to leave two on. At the bottom, Yuli Gurriel flew out to Judge in right. Yordan Alverez lined out to first. Kyle Tucker got a ground-rule double bouncing into the bullpen. Abe Toro looped to Judge. No score.

The top of the third saw the top of the lineup for the Yankees. LeMahieu tapped out to first. Judge lined out to center. Sanchez lined out to third to end the half. At the bottom, Jason Castro lined to LeMahieu. Robel Garcia walked for the first walk of the game. Altuve skied to center. Staw flew out to Wade in left. No score.

Giancarlo Stanton struck out at the top of the fourth inning, tipping it into the catcher’s glove. Gleyber Torres got his second hit of the night to left. Rougie Odor .300 over his last seven games ground into a force out. Urshela smoked back to Odorizzi for a single. Gardner got a two-run double driving in Torres and Odor for the two-run lead. Wade chased for the final out. At the bottom, Brantley struck out. Gurriel popped out to second base. Alverez singled to second with a poor transfer to Voit. Tucker, with one on and two outs, flew out to Gardner in center. New York Yankees 2 Houston Astros 0.

The fifth inning saw the top of the lineup for the New York Yankees. LeMahieu ground out. Judge flew out to foul territory in right. Sanchez popped out to short. At the bottom of the fifth, Toro facing Cortes Jr., struck out swinging. Castro ground out to first. Garcia walked, and that was the end of the night for Cortes jr. For the first time as a starter pitched into the fifth inning and had a season-high 69 pitches. He was replaced by Lucas Luetage, who faced Altuve, who Luetge fanned out. Yankees 2 Astros 0.

The top of the sixth inning was led off by Giancarlo Stanton, who flew out to Brantley. Torres, with two hits on the night, hit into the infield for that second out. Odor struck out swinging. At the bottom, Straw against Luetge ground out to short. Brantley popped out to Urshela. Gurriel ground out to third to end the inning. New York Yankees 2 Astros 0.

The seventh inning was led off by Urshela, who was two for two on the night, slow rolled to third but couldn’t beat it out. Gardner worked a walk. Wade hit a double down the left-field line with Gardner moving to third base. LeMahieu, with two on and one out, hit the 10th pitch of the at-bat up the left-field line driving in two Yankee runs. Aaron Judge singled to third. With men on the corners and one out, Sanchez faced the new pitcher Brandon Bielak and ground out to second for a double play, but the Yankees picked up another two runs. At the bottom, Alverez struck out. Tucker doubled. Toro flew out, and Castro lined out to first to end the inning. Yankees 4 Astros 0.

The eighth inning was led off by Stanton, who ground out to third. Torres chased for the second out. Odor hit one into center over short Altuve’s head for a single. Urshela flew out to left to end the half. Robel Garcia led off the bottom of the eighth by Garcia, who struck out against Green. Altuve flew out to Gardner in center. Straw ground out to short to end the inning. New York Yankees 4 and the Houston Astro 0.

At the top of the ninth inning, Brett Gardner tapped out to the pitcher. Wade got thrown out on a ground ball to short. LeMahieu smoked on up the middle. Judge got his career 500th hit. Sanchez struck out to end the half. With the last licks on the Astros, Michael Bentley led off against the Yankees closer Jonathan Loaisiga and rolled to second for the first out. Yuli Gurriel ground out to second. Yordan Alverez struck out on a 100 mph fastball by Loaisiga to end the game in a shutout.

The final score was the New York Yankees 4 and the Houston Astros 0. The winning pitcher was Lucas Luetge, and the loser was Jake Odorizzi.

New York Yankees: Bad blood continues tonight in Houston, series preview

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New York Yankees, Aaron Judge, Jose Altuve

Last night the New York Yankees traveled to Houston to meet up with the Houston Astros in a three-game set. If there are two teams in baseball that don’t like each other, it’s the Yankees and Astros. It was proven that the Houston Astros cheated in the 2017 season and postseason. That cheating may have cost the Yankees a trip to the World Series and Aaron Judge an MVP award that instead went to the Astros Jose Altuve.

The cheating was finally confirmed in 2019. Although the manager and general manager were suspended for a year by MLB, no player was ever held responsible and the Astros were not required to turn in their rings or have their championship overturned. This infuriated the Yankees fans even more. With the short 2020 season, the two teams did not meet up. But this year the Astros traveled to Yankee Stadium where they were loudly booed there were loads of signs in the stands saying “you cheated.”

The New York Yankees, Yankee players, and fans will not soon forget. Presently the Houston Astro sit atop the AL West at 54-34 winning six of their last ten. The Yankees are 9 games out of first place in the AL East and have lost six of their last ten, including being shut out last night in Seattle.

Today, July 9th, 8:10 pm EDT:

Tonight in game one of the series the New York Yankees will face Jake Odorizzi. Odorizzi is a righty that is 3-3 with an ERA of 3.70 on the season. He will be making his eleventh start of the season. He missed a few starts in May due to injury. He is coming off a win against the Indians in which he only allowed one earned run. The Yankees are very familiar with Odorizzi from his time with the Rays and the Twins.  Miguel Andujar and Aaron Judge have been very successful off of Odorizzi. Rougie Odor in 9 at-bats against him has a .333 batting average.

The Astros will face Nestor Cortes Jr. When Corey Kluber went on the IL, Michael King was called up to replace him. King is on the IL. Nestor Cortes Jr. has filled in very adequately. He is a lefty that is 0-0 with an ERA of 1.29 over 24 innings of work. He last pitched against the Mets on July 4th when he gave up one run in 3.2 innings. The Astros have little experience against Cortes. Jose Altuve has faced him 3 times without a hit. The game will be televised on the YES Network, ATTSportsNet, and MLBN out of market.

Saturday, July 10th, 7:15 pm EDT:

Saturday night’s game looks like the game not to miss. It will feature two aces, Gerrit Cole for the Yankees and Zack Greinke for the Astros. Greinke has inherited the ace standing as the Astros still wait for Justin Verlander to return to the team from Tommy John surgery. Greinke who is 8-2 with an ERA of 3.64 has faced the Yankees several times including in the postseason. DJ Lemahieu has pretty well had Greinke’s number, in 35 at-bats he has hit .371. Giancarlo Stanton is the only Yankee to hit a home run off of Greinke.

Greinke will face the New York Yankee ace Gerrit Cole that has had some rough luck of late losing his last three starts. He is 8-4 with an ERA of 2.91 and an incredible 135 strikeouts. For Cole, it will be a reunion of sorts and he will be pitching to his old team before coming to the Yankees. Martin Maldanado has seen him the most and in 7 at-bats he has a .429 batting average. Yordan Alverez has two homers off Cole in 3 at-bats. Saturday night’s matchup will be nationally televised o the Fox Network.

Sunday, July 11th, 2:10 pm EDT:
Sunday’s Matinee will feature the Astros Framber Valdez a lefty that is 5-1 with an ERA of 2.86, against the Yankees’ Jameson Taillon with is 4-4 with an ERA of 5.05. Taillon is coming off his best start of the season against the Seattle Mariners, Taillon went eight innings giving up just one run in the Yankee’s 12-1 victory. Valdez is coming off two wins one against Cleveland and one against the Athletics. He gave up five earned runs in the Oakland victory. The only Yankees with extensive experience with Valdez is Rougie Odor who in 5 at-bats hit .400 off of him. Sunday’s game will be televised on WPIX and its affiliates, ATTSportsNet, and nationally on TBS.

 

 

New York Yankees: Nestor Cortes Jr. could get a Major League start

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The two-game postponements have really shaken up the New York Yankees pitching rotation. On Thursday, due to an awful weather forecast, the game was postponed, but it didn’t do more than a sprinkle. Then, last night after one postponement, the Yankees tried to get a game in with an even worse forecast. Finally, they had to postpone the game after an hour and a half delay.

Now Jordan Montgomery will start today’s 1:05 pm game, and Yankee ace Gerrit Cole will be on the mound for one of the day-night doubleheaders on Sunday. According to manager Aaron Boone, the other game might be started by Nestor Cortes Jr., who has been lights out this season as a reliever. If he gets the night game, it will be the first time he has started a nationally televised game. Cortes has been a great surprise for the Yankees this season. In seven games of relief, he has a 1.02 ERA. In 17.2 innings, he has struck out 25 hitters and allowed only 2 earned runs. Boone also said Michael King could get the start but would not commit to either.

During the Winter Meetings this past December, the only move the Yankees made was to sign Cortes Jr. It was a special day for Nestor Cortes Jr.; it was his 26th birthday. Cortes Jr. is a lefty reliever that has been with the Yankees twice before. If he gets one of the starts on Sunday, it will be his third Major League start in his career. He has also pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and the Seattle Mariners between Yankee’s stints.

The Yankees drafted Cortez out of high school in the 2013 draft. He signed and made his professional debut with The Gulf Coast Yankees of the Rookie League. In 2014, he returned going 1–2 with a 2.27 ERA in 11 games (two starts). Cortés spent 2015 with the Pulaski Yankees, where he compiled a 6–3 record with a 2.26 ERA in 12 games (ten starts). In 2016, he pitched for the Charleston River Dogs. 2016 was a busy year for Cortez Jr. as he worked his way up the Yankee Minor League system, first with the Class A Tampa team, then the Trenton Thunder, and ended up at the AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre Rail Riders.

With the Rail Riders in 2016, he was 7–4 with a 2.06 ERA in 30 games (13 starts).  After the 2017 season, the New York Yankee bullpen was strongest in all of baseball. That being the case, they did not protect Cortes Jr. from the 2017 rule 5 draft. The Baltimore Orioles took advantage of that and picked him up from the Yankees. After pitching for the Orioles in the minor, they promoted him to the majors. He made his Major League debut on March 31, 2018. That year he pitched only 4.2 innings with an ERA of 7.71.

Nestor Cortes Jr.’s second stint with the New York Yankees. On April 13, 2018, he was returned to the New York Yankees. He played in one game for the Trenton Thunder before returning to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, combining for a 6–6 record and a 3.68 ERA in 24 games. Before the 2019 season, the Yankees invited Nestor to spring training with the big club at George M Steinbrenner Field; he pitched well but did not make the team and started the 2019 season back in Scranton.

New York Yankees beat the Angels 11-5, here are the major takeaways from the win

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New York Yankees, Aaron Judge

After a four-game losing streak last night, the New York Yankees delighted fans worldwide with a big 11-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels. They showed fans and detractors alike that they can be the Bronx Bombers of old. The big question is can they maintain that energy and success?

Don’t let Jameson Taillon fool you

Jameson Taillon earned the win last night in the Yankees 11-5 win over the Los Angeles at Yankee Stadium. It was his third win of the season against four losses in fifteen starts. But don’t be fooled. Taillon didn’t win the game the Yankee lineup did. Taillon gave up all the runs the Angels would score. Taillon is still the lousy pitcher he has been all season. With the Yankees only scoring about 3 runs per game, giving up five runs would normally be a loss for any starting pitcher.

Jameson Taillon was a better-than-average pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirate before his series of injuries. He had two Tommy John surgeries. But with him working his way back, the New York Yankees thought they could take a chance on him to be a number three or four starter for their revamped Yankee rotation.  Now halfway through the season for Taillon, that seems like a pipe dream. He has shown some bright spots this season, only to go out and erase them in the next outing.

The good pitching news from last night is not Taillon; it’s Nestor Cortes Jr. that stepped in and saved Taillon last night. Cortes Jr. has proven that he is a dependable option for Aaron Boone whenever he is needed. Last night he pitched 1.2 innings of one-hit ball. In his last 8.1 innings of relief, he has allowed only three hits and no runs. Call-up Albert Abreu closed out the game for the Yankees, pitching two hitless innings.

Yankees score a season-high 11 runs

The New York Yankees that have been playing all season did not show up last night; the “Bronx Bombers” we all know and love performed last night like Yankee fans have not seen all season long. There were several high points last night. One is scoring a season-high 11 runs. Every Yankee scored last night, and the Yankees hit three home runs in the game.

It was a hit fest for the New York Yankees last night. Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge, and Miguel Andujar all hit home runs in the game. In addition, Sanchez, Luke Voit, and Miguel Andujar all had extra-base hits. The Yankees also never let up the pressure on the Angels. LeMahieu, Judge, Andujar, Sanchez, Voit, and Gleyber Torres all had two out RBI’s.

Turnaround or giant tease?

The morning after, many New York Yankee fans wonder if last night finally signaled a turnaround for the Yankees. Others may be wondering if it was just a giant tease that has seen the Yankees take a step forward and then two steps back. The Yankees have, for the most part, have had a roller-coaster season with more downs than ups.

At the start of the season, most industry analysts predicted with the Yankee’s strong lineup and newly revamped pitching rotation that they would be the team to beat all the way to the World Series. However, Yankee fans and analysts alike have been totally puzzled by the exact opposite. The Yankees appear to be a lifeless unenergetic team that can’t get out of its own way, often failing on baseball’s basics. If you believe that the Yankees will stop hitting into double plays, stop making running errors. And that the team will all of the sudden start hitting across the lineup, then the Yankees have now turned it around. If you are like so many sports sites, even New York ones, you believe the Yankees are done for it.

Last night New York Yankee general manager Brian Cashman for the first time, threw the Yankees under the bus while showing his continued support of Boone and the coaches.

“I know they urgently want to get on track, but I also know that we suck right now, as bad as you can be,” the general manager said Tuesday. “Trying to knock ourselves out of that is the effort, but until we get online and start playing high again, it’s gonna look bad. It plays bad and it stinks to high heavens. Right now, we gotta own that. I gotta call it like I see it: It’s pretty bad right now.”

Just one week ago, the New York Yankees had crawled back to just four games out of first place, but now a week later, even after last night’s game, the Yankees are back to 7 1/2 games out, with only the Baltimore Orioles playing worse ball. I am not going to join the bandwagon saying that the Yankees are through this season. They still have time to turn it around, but they must start doing it now, and in a big way, anything less will disappoint.

Tonight the New York Yankees will face the pitching and hitting sensation Shohei Ohtani,  that many compare to Babe Ruth. If Domingo German and the Yankees can win this game, it will go a long way to say that a turnaround may be in the offing.

 

 

New York Yankees Recap: Home runs power Yankees to series win over KC

by
New York Yankees, Aaron Boone, jameson taillon

Today in the Bronx at Yankees Stadium, the New York Yankees met up with the Kansas City Royals for the finale of a 3 game series between the two old rivals. The Royals took game one, and the Yankees had a walk-off win against the Royals last night at the bottom of the ninth inning. Today Jameson Taillon was on the mound for the Yankees and Brad Keller for the Royals. It was a beautiful day for a ballgame with bright sunny skies and a game-time temperature in the high 70’s. Ex-manager Joe Torre was in the stands to watch the game.

In the first inning with Taillon on the mound, leadoff hitter Whit Merrifield singled to left field over the head of Tyler Wade, who was playing at short today. Merrifield stole second. Carlos Santana ground out. Salvatore Perez struck out, and Ryan O’Hearn ground to end the half.

At the bottom, LeMahieu ground back to pitcher Keller. Aaron Judge started the day with his 16th homer of the season into the short porch at Yankee Stadium. Gary Sanchez, who has worked himself up to the third spot in the lineup, singled. Giancarlo Stanton got a base hit for two on and one out. Luke Voit, who had the walk-off win last night, flew out to center. Rougie Odor got a base hit to right, and Sanchez scored with Stanton moving to second. Clint Frazier ground into a force to end the inning, but the Yankees got the early lead. New York Yankees 2 Kansas City Royals 0.

The top of the second inning was led off by Hanser Alberto, who doubled. Jarrod Dyson was out on a sac bunt, moving Alberto moved to third. Michael Taylor struck out swinging. Lopez flew out to Gardner to end the half. Brett Gardner led off the bottom by flying out to centerfield. Tyler Wade looking for his first home run of the season, worked a walk-off of Keller. Wade stole second. LeMahieu walked. Judge hit an RBI single, scoring Wade from second. Wade’s speed pays off big for the Yankees time after time. Sanchez with men on the corner and one out ground out. The Yankees ended the inning, gaining another run. Yankees 3 Royals 0.

The third inning was a quick inning for both pitchers, but Luke Voit got another home run in the bottom of the third, a solo one to the left to put the Yankees up another run. In the top of the fourth, with Taillon pitching well, Perez stuck out. O’Hearn flew out. Taylor flew out to end the half. At the bottom, with the Yankees up by four, Wade hit a push bunt a bit too hard and was out at first. LeMahieu ground out to short. Judge walked. Sanchez struck out swinging. New York Yankees 4 Royals 0.

Leading off the fifth was Lopez against Taillon; he singled up the middle. Rivero got an RBI double down the left-field line driving in Lopez (his first major league hit), putting the Royals on the board. Merrifield walked. Santana flew out to Frazier. Perez hit into a double play to end the half. At the bottom, Stanton singled to left. Voit struck out. Odor flew to the left-center wall moving Stanton to third. Frazier walked, loading the base for Brett Gardner with one out. Gardner flew out to left in foul territory. Wade, with two outs and the bases loaded, went down looking. Yankees 4 Royals 1.

To start the sixth inning, O’Hearn ground out. Alberto flew out, and Dyson flew out to Gardner for the quick inning for Taillon. At the bottom, Anthony Swarzak took over the pitching for the Royals. LeMahieu lined into center for a single. Judge doubled to the right-center wall splitting the outfields, LeMahieu went to third. Sanchez got a long three-run homer into the bullpen in left field. Stanton ground out third. Voit hit a fly ball to the warning track in center for the second out. Odor advanced on a hit by pitch. Frazier struck out. New York Yankees 7 Royals 1.

The seventh inning was led off by Taylor, who called out on strikes. Lopez walked on the 96th pitch, and that was the day for Taillon, one of his best outings. The Yankees turned to Nestor Cortes Jr., who faced Rivero, who ground out. Merrifield ended the inning swinging out. At the bottom, Gardner foul-tipped for an out. Wade popped out to third. LeMahieu popped back to Davis, the reliever. Yankees 7 Royals 1.

Dozier, at the top of the eighth against Cortes Jr., walked. Perez struck out. O’Hearn struck out. Alberto hit one just short of Frazier in left, moving up Dozier to second. Dyson foul-tipped into Sanchez’s glove to strand two Royals. At the bottom, it was Ervin Santana facing Aaron Judge, who walked. Judge took second on a wild pitch. Sanchez went down on strikes. Judge moved to third on another wild pitch. Stanton singled to left for his third hit of the day, driving in Judge. Voit went down on strikes for the second out of the inning. Odor flew out to left. New York Yankees 8 Royals 1.

Nestor Cortes Jr., still on the mound for the top of the ninth, Taylor flew out to Judge. Soler struck out. Gutierrez in for Merrifield flew out to end the game. The final score was the New York Yankees 8 and the Kansas City Royals 1. The winning pitcher was Jameson Taillon, and the loser was Brad Keller. The Yankees took the series 2 games to 1.