Nestor Cortes Has Only One Regret From First Career Postseason Start

Cortes threw five innings in Game 2 of the ALDS on Friday, allowing two earned runs while striking out three batters.

NEW YORK — Nestor Cortes made the first postseason appearance of his career on Friday in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Guardians and as he's done all year, the left-hander gave his team a chance to win.

Cortes pounded the zone with his fastball-cutter mix, induced plenty of weak contact and even made an acrobatic defensive play on the mound, snagging a comebacker before throwing to first from the seat of his pants, stranding two runners on base.

After the game, Cortes was kicking himself over one pitch that he threw just before his web gem in the fourth, an offering that he wishes he could have back. 

Holding a two-run lead, Cortes had two runners on with two men out and second baseman Andrés Giménez at the plate. Jumping ahead 0-2, Cortes tried to catch the left-handed hitter off balance with a sweeping slider, a pitch that Giménez was able to hook into right field for an RBI single. 

The Guards strike back.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/pwxGLVUncg

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 14, 2022

"I wish I could take back that Giménez pitch, 0-2, just can't miss over the plate," Cortes said after the game, a 4-2 loss in 10 innings. 

Looking at the replay, it's not an awful pitch. Jose Trevino's glove doesn't move too much behind the plate from the spot Cortes was shooting for. Sometimes you need to tip your cap, especially against a team that excels at putting the ball in play. Cortes had just three strikeouts on Friday, 

Besides, you can argue that Cortes' 1-0 fastball to Amed Rosario the next inning—a game-tying solo home run to right-center field—was a bigger miss. Or perhaps it was errant pitches to the bottom of Cleveland's order. All three of Cortes' walks came against either the No. 6 or No. 8 hitters in the Guardians' lineup.

Evaluating his start as a whole, Cortes said he felt like he had more in him. He threw 92 pitches, but ran into trouble in his last two frames, forcing Yankees manager Aaron Boone to call to his bullpen.

"Two runs in five innings. I kept them in the game but I think I should have been better," the All-Star strater said. "The Giménez pitch, I wish I could get it back. We wouldn't be talking about this right now."

While there's a good chance Cortes won't pitch again in this series—Thursday's rainout cut one day of rest away from the lefty when it comes to a return in a possible Game 5—the southpaw assured that he'll be available whenever his team needs him, even if it's on short rest.

"I'll be ready," he said. "Game 5, it's all or nothing. So you gotta lay it out in the field, but hopefully we don't have to get there

MORE:

• Aaron Judge Reacts to Getting Booed in Game 2 of ALDS at Yankee Stadium
• Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton Homers After Missed Call By Home Plate Umpire
• Aaron Boone Explains Decision to Start Jose Trevino Over Kyle Higashioka in ALDS

Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.