The Yankees picked up a much-needed series win over the Chicago White Sox this weekend, which was capped off by a 5-3 victory on Sunday afternoon.
Nestor Cortes Jr. got the start and pitched six innings of one earned run ball despite giving up seven hits and a walk. He managed to keep the Sox at bay in clutch moments — including getting seven strikeouts on the day.
“He was great,” Aaron Boone said after the game. “He gave us six innings, six strong. I thought his stuff was really good today … right from jump street, I just thought his pitches looked crisp. … He was really strong for us and put us in position to win this series.”
Cortes also finally picked up his first winning decision of the season, something he’s been looking for since being called up to the major league team back in May.
“A very respectable lineup, went in there and got the job done,” Cortes said on his performance. “Gave some length and came out with the W.
“Big series. Coming into this road stand we knew where we were and what we needed to do, and I think we took good care of that. Clubhouse vibe is good right now, got the series win and hopefully continue that.”
The opportunity to start at all for this club is especially significant for the left-hander. Cortes first started his major league baseball journey back in 2013, when the Yankees, selected him in the 36th round of the MLB Draft.
Despite not playing for the major league squad before being selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft, Cortes made his way back to the Yankees’ system the following season and finally made his debut for the club in 2019.
However, Cortes was traded to the Seattle Mariners after the 2019 season for international bonus pool money.
But yet again, Cortes found his way back to the team that first took a chance on him, signing a minor league deal with the Yankees again at the end of 2020 before eventually getting that promotion this past May.
So it’s really been a grind for the 26-year-old to get to this point — where he’s competing with the best the Yanks have to offer as a starter this late in the season.
Anyone who dons the Yankee pinstripes has a place in the team’s history, but it takes a certain output to really earn them.
It now looks like Cortes is doing just that.