Nestor Cortes suddenly landed on the IL with a groin strain before Thursday’s series opener against the A’s, but Evan Roberts isn’t convinced that the Yankees’ most consistent starter is injured at all.
“I think that Nestor Cortes is not hurt at all, or at least not seriously hurt,” Evan said.
“Nestor Cortes has thrown 131 innings. He has never had a season professionally when he has come even close to that. If there is a time in a season where you would shut Nestor down to give him a break - because the innings continue to go up, because he’s going to pitch in the postseason - wouldn’t the time be now?”
Cortes said he felt the injury in his groin early in his last start but pushed through it, so there likely is something going on with his groin, although it could be argued, but never proven, that Cortes could have worked through it without issue or without needing an IL stint, but the Yanks elected to put him on the shelf as an opportunity to get his arm some rest along with his groin injury. He has indeed thrown 131 innings this season after pitching 93 last season, and before that, had never thrown more than 66.2 innings in a season.
So, Evan thinks this move is more for maintenance while the Yankees navigate a soft part of their schedule.
“Calm down, Yankee fans. He’s OK,” Evan said. “In October, you need Nestor Cortes. That’s why this is an injury, or whatever it is, that will cause him to miss three starts, which saves him about 18-22 innings, and he will be back for the stretch run and will be your game two starter in the ALDS. Because when you play the Oakland A’s, you should beat them anyway.
“Just following what Nestor has done this year and where he’s at this season, this to me reeks of ‘Let’s give Nestor a nice little break for his arm.’”
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