OAKLAND — Nestor Cortes, the Yankees’ most consistent starter this season, is headed to the IL with a groin injury, The Post confirmed.
It’s a blow to a rotation that’s already thin with Luis Severino on the IL and Jordan Montgomery in St. Louis.
Cortes had been scheduled to start Saturday against the A’s and the Yankees could go with Domingo German, who would be pitching on regular rest due to Wednesday’s off day.
Nestor Cortes pitching for the Yankees on Aug. 21, 2022.Robert SaboClarke Schmidt could be an option at some point after the right-hander was stretched out at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and then threw 60 pitches in a three-inning relief appearance against the Mets on Tuesday.
Right-handed reliever Greg Weissert will take Cortes’ spot on the roster after being called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
A lengthy absence for Cortes would certainly hurt the Yankees, since the left-hander has not just been their best starter this season, but he’s been by far their most effective starter in the second half, with Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon pitching to over 4.00 ERAs, and Frankie Montas settling into his spot after coming over from the A’s at the trade deadline. German has been solid in Severino’s absence, with a 2.67 ERA in his last five starts.
If the playoffs were to start today, Cortes would likely be the Game 2 starter after Cole, especially with Severino still rehabbing from a lat strain.
If it only causes a two-or-three-start absence for Cortes, it won’t be too damaging, since the Yankees have been monitoring his innings throughout the season.
He’s already at 131 innings, by far the most he’s thrown in the majors.
Cortes threw 115 innings in the minors, plus 21 ⅔ innings in winter ball, in 2018.
And last offseason, the 27-year-old didn’t pitch winter ball in an effort to preserve his arm for this year.
The strategy has paid off, as Cortes made his first All-Star appearance and has the sixth-best ERA in the American League at 2.68.
