Inside The Pinstripes

Offseason 'Breakup' Predicted Between Yankees and Fan-Favorite Hurler

One New York Yankees starting pitcher could become a major trade asset this offseason.

Grant Young

Sep 1, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) reacts after giving up a two run home run to St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Luken Baker (26) in the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Sep 1, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) reacts after giving up a two run home run to St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Luken Baker (26) in the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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The New York Yankees are going to have a busy offseason.

The team's top priority will likely be re-signing superstar Juan Soto, who is expected to receive one of the largest contracts in MLB history.

Once the Soto Sweepstakes ends, the Yankees could turn their focus toward improving their pitching staff.

While Luke Weaver has been elite since becoming the Yankees' primary closer last month, New York might still elect to acquire a proven veteran closer via free agency or with a trade.

If trading for a reliever (or an improvement at some other position) becomes the best way to add an elite bullpen arm, the Yankees' depth at starting pitcher might convince the team to part ways with one in order to finalize a trade.

And in an October 14 article from Bleacher Report's Joel Rueter, Nestor Cortes was deemed the Yankees' most likely trade chip if such a scenario were to occur.

"Cortes saw his name surface in rumors at the 2024 deadline, with the Yankees set to move him if they had landed one of their top targets on the trade market," Rueter wrote. "Between those rumblings and his public disapproval when he was briefly moved to the bullpen in September, it feels like a breakup is coming.

"With a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162 strikeouts in 174.1 innings, plenty of teams would be interested if he is legitimately shopped," Rueter added.

The 29-year-old Cortes became a favorite among Yankees fans after producing two consecutive stellar seasons in 2021 and 2022, where he posted a 2.90 and 2.44 ERA, respectively.

While Cortes hasn't reached that same elite level in the past two seasons, he has still been a valuable asset for the Yankees. Perhaps his Yankees value will culminate with him getting traded so New York can address their more pressing needs.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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