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Nestor Cortes, the New York Yankees‘ left-hander, expressed his disappointment after the team moved him from the starting rotation to the bullpen for his latest outing against the Chicago Cubs. Surprised by the decision, Cortes felt it disrupted his routine, especially given his role as a key workhorse for the Yankees this season.
“Obviously I was upset,” Cortes said after the game. “I felt like I’ve been, amongst all the starters, the workhorse here. Once [Gerrit] Cole went down, they picked me to be the Opening Day starter — not necessarily the No. 1, but the Opening Day starter. I had to switch my routine there, and now they do this.”
Impressive Performance in Bullpen
Despite his disappointment, Cortes delivered an impressive performance out of the bullpen, pitching 4 1/3 no-hit innings and striking out three batters. He lowered his ERA to 3.97 on the season and leads the Yankees with 163 1/3 innings pitched.
“I’m never going to back down from a challenge, I’m never going to leave my teammates out to dry,” Cortes said. “You’re always going to get my best effort, no matter if I’m happy or not. That’s what I did today.”
Boone Praises Cortes’ Professionalism
Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised Nestor Cortes for his professionalism and performance, saying it was “a testament to being a professional.”
Uncertain Future Role
However, Cortes’ future role with the team remains uncertain. He is scheduled to start one of the Yankees’ four games against the Boston Red Sox next weekend, but with Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil returning from the injured list, Cortes could be the odd man out in the rotation.
“I have no idea,” Cortes said when asked about his role going forward. “This one caught me by surprise, so we’ll see.”
Committed to the Team
Despite the disappointment, Cortes remains committed to the team and is willing to accept whatever role the Yankees decide is best. “From here on out, if that’s what’s my role, then I’ll accept it,” he said.
