Nestor Cortes defends Jim Kaat after 'Nestor the Molester' comment
New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. says he received an apology from Jim Kaat after the broadcaster made an offensive remark during Thursday's game between the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers.
Kaat's comment came in the fourth inning of Thursday's game after Chris Archer struck out Miguel Cabrera, with Kaat comparing the final pitch of the at-bat to one of Cortes' pitches, referring to Cortes as "Nestor the Molester."
Jim Kaat's nickname for Nestor Cortes is "Nestor the Molestor" 😬 pic.twitter.com/ezLhcPBXSB
— MLB Errors (@mlberrors) June 2, 2022
The Twins spoke with Kaat about the comment after the game and while Kaat said he meant no ill will he still reached out to Cortes, who accepted the apology.
"Jim Kaat has spent an entire lifetime in this game we love," Cortes said via his Twitter account. "He reached out to me and apologized for his remark last night, but he didn't need to. We all make mistakes and feel 100% there was no malice intended. I plan on lifting him up with this tweet and I hope others do too. No sweat here, Jim!"
It was the second time in the last eight months that Kaat has made a controversial comment on the air. During an MLB Network broadcast last October, Kaat said that teams should "get a 40-acre field full of" players that look like White Sox infielder Yoan Moncada.
Kaat was on the Twins Bally Sports North broadcast as part of a rotation that includes Justin Morneau, LaTroy Hawkins and Roy Smalley.
