Brewers pitcher Nestor Cortes had a forgettable return to Yankee Stadium on Saturday, allowing five home runs in a 20-9 loss. Cortes reflected on the game, saying it didn’t go as planned and left without speaking to reporters due to a miscommunication.
Cortes was pulled after throwing just 64 pitches, giving up homers to Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Austin Wells, and Anthony Volpe. The left-hander spoke about the challenges of facing former teams, saying he’s prepared for such situations as a major league pitcher.
A 36th-round pick in 2013, Cortes spent seven seasons with the Yankees, Orioles, and Mariners before being traded to the Brewers. He is now eligible for arbitration and can become a free agent after next season. The trade came as part of an effort by the Brewers to acquire top talent, including Cortes’ unique leg kicks and fans’ reception in his previous team’s introductions.
Cortes, who was an All-Star last season, has a 3.77 ERA in 31 appearances and 30 starts over the past year. His performance was marred by injury and postseason struggles, including allowing Freddie Freeman’s game-ending grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/44468168/nestor-cortes-yankee-stadium-return-go-way-planned