New York Yankees All-Star Starting Pitcher Headed to IL

The New York Yankees will lose another member of their starting rotation to the injured list.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Yankees will be without a key member of their starting rotation for the foreseeable future.

Nestor Cortes Jr. will be placed on the injured list with a shoulder strain, as manager Aaron Boone announced on Tuesday.

According to Boone, Cortes has had trouble recovering between starts due to his shoulder injury, and will be shut down from throwing for the next two weeks. Cortes received an injection in his shoulder on Tuesday and will be reevaluated in 10 days.

After making the All-Star team in 2022, Cortes' season has not gone well this year. In 11 starts, the left-hander has posted a 5.16 ERA. 

The Yankees are hoping that Cortes will only miss one or two starts, but that will be determined after getting the results of his imaging. 

Randy Vasquez will start in Cortes' place while he is on the shelf. 

In addition to Cortes, the Yankees have also been missing starting pitchers Carlos Rodon (forearm strain and back) and Frankie Montas (shoulder surgery) this season. 

With Cortes landing on the IL, the Yankees are still uncertain if Judge will join him. Judge injured his right big toe on Saturday night after making a spectacular catch against the wall at Dodger Stadium, where he busted the door open. 

Judge already spent time on the IL this season with a right hip strain in late-April/early-May. The Yankees cannot afford to lose Judge for a significant period of time, as he is the best player in their lineup. 

Read more from Inside the Pinstripes:
Yankees Could Lose Aaron Judge to Injured List Again With New Ailment 
Yankees Named Front-Runners in Shohei Ohtani Sweepstakes 
Former Yankees Outfielder Signs With AL Contender
- White Sox Reportedly Shopping Ace, Yankees Should be Interested
- Yankees Place Bader Back on IL


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Pat Ragazzo
PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the reporter, publisher, site manager and executive editor for Sports Illustrated's Mets and Yankees On SI websites. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has been seen on several major TV Network stations including: NBC4, CBS2, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1; and is frequently heard on ESPN New York FM 880 AM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM as a guest. Pat also serves as the Mets insider for the "Allow Me 2 Be Frank" podcast hosted by Frank "The Tank" Fleming of Barstool Sports. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @ragazzoreport.