Fastball

Left-Hander Nestor Cortes Set to Make Fun History with Milwaukee Brewers in 2025

After being traded from New York to Milwaukee, Cortes figures to be part of the Brewers rotation in 2025.

Brady Farkas

New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 31.
New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 31. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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Left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes is set to make some fun history with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025.

He'll be the first player in team history to wear the No. 65. He was just traded to Milwaukee in the deal that sent closer Devin Williams to the New York Yankees.

The 30-year-old lefty is one of the most unique pitchers in the game, complete with an array of different motions and arm angles, and should help keep the Brewers competitive in the National League Central. Milwaukee won the division in 2024 before losing to the New York Mets in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Cortes made 30 starts for the Yankees this past season, going 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA as they advanced to the World Series. He struck out 162 batters in 174.1 innings, pitching to a 1.15 WHIP as well.

Lifetime, Cortes has appeared in parts of seven different seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners and Yankees. He won a career-high 12 games in 2022 with the Yankees, a year in which he also made the All-Star team in the American League.

Lifetime, he's 33-21 with a 3.80 ERA. The Brewers also have Brandon Woodruff, Aaron Civale, DL Hall and Tobias Myers as candidates to start games.

As for the Yankees, they've moved on without Cortes, signing Max Fried to an eight-year deal. He'll pair with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil to make perhaps the best rotation in the American League.

They also still have Marcus Stroman as a depth piece.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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