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The New York Yankees do have one outstanding problem for the 2026 season, and that’s a lack of depth in their starting rotation. Usually it’s full of superstars, but with arms like Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt missing good portions of the season, they’ll need some depth in the long run.
FanSided’s Jake Elman believes while he might not be a solution for the present, reuniting with All-Star Nestor Cortes could be in the best interest for the Yanks. He’s injured at the moment as well, but come September, he could be back and pitching for New York.
“Obviously, the Yankees and Cortes are extremely familiar with one another. We don’t need to overthink this one too much — and, in fairness, a reunion would make sense even if New York didn’t have a long, storied tradition of losing their top pitchers to injury. Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole are expected to start the season on the IL while recovering from elbow surgeries. We likely won’t see Clarke Schmidt until much later in the year. Cortes can’t help the Yankees in April, and even asking him to contribute in July might be difficult. But it should be all hands on deck when September hits, and Cortes knows what it takes to step up when the Yankees need him most,” Elman wrote.
In Cortes’ last fully healthy season in 2024, he posted a 9-10 record, a 3.77 ERA, 162 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.153 over 174 innings pitched. If he could somehow put up the same numbers for the Yanks upon his return, he’d be a fine end-of-rotation pitcher, or even a great swingman.
Cortes’ market value calls for a three-year, $36 million deal, but considering the season is just about to start, the Yankees could offer him a short-term deal with a club option to incentivize him to make a comeback.
Hopefully, the Yankees do contact Cortes, as he was once an All-Star and Cy Young candidate for them. They need that man, and they definitely need him come the postseason.
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