Yankees to Place Nestor Cortes on I.L., Promote Local Product

Cortes is dealing with a groin strain. Reliever Greg Weissert will take his place on the active roster.

The Yankees plan on placing Nestor Cortes on the injured list on Thursday, according to The Athletic’s Lindsey Adler. The left-handed starter will be replaced by minor league reliever Greg Weissert, per multiple reports.

Cortes has enjoyed a career year, recording a 2.68 ERA over a personal-high 131 innings. An All-Star this season, Cortes has made 23 starts for New York. It is unclear who will replace him in the rotation, but Clare Schmidt is a candidate for the vacancy. The righty is currently in the bullpen but was recently stretched out to a starter’s workload at Triple-A at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Yankees begin a West Coast trip in Oakland on Thursday night. Jameson Taillon, Gerrit Cole and Domingo Germán are expected to start the first three games against the A’s, but a starter has yet to be determined for the series’ fourth game, per Adler.

Weissert, meanwhile, has had a stellar season as the closer at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 27-year-old right-hander owns a 1.76 ERA, 18 saves, and a 36.8 K% over 46 innings. Weissert has not allowed a run over his last 23.1 innings. He has 33 strikeouts and five walks over that 23-game span.

Yankees are calling up Triple-A closer Greg Weissert

He's been great for Scranton since 2021, allowing just 17 runs in 82.2 innings for a 1.85 ERA while recording 107 strikeouts pic.twitter.com/BIvdRFXRGo

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 25, 2022

A Bay Shore, New York native, Weissert went to Fordham. The Yankees picked him in the 18th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

Weissert joins the Yankees at a time when they are mixing and matching in the closer’s role. Clay Holmes is expected back soon, but with him and Scott Effross on the I.L. and Aroldis Chapman untrustworthy in big spots, Weissert could get some save opportunities after excelling at the job with the RailRiders.

The Yankees will have to make a 40-man roster move to clear space for Weissert. New York is also expected to activate OF Giancarlo Stanton on Thursday.

MORE:

• Highlights From the Yankees’ 2023 Schedule
• Aaron Boone Not Ready to Use Aroldis Chapman in Tight Spots Yet
• Yankees RP Zack Britton to Begin Rehab Assignment

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