Trade talks swirl: Analyst claims Nestor Cortes’ Yankees days are numbered
- July 24, 2024
- 7:42 am
- One Comment
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Follow UsThe New York Yankees, despite a recent slump, remain in contention for the American League East title, trailing the Baltimore Orioles by just one and a half games with a 60-42 record. As the July 30 trade deadline approaches, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner suggests that the Yankees might consider trading pitcher Nestor Cortes to bolster their lineup with a starting infielder or left fielder.
Kirschner draws parallels to the Yankees’ 2022 trade, where they sent Jordan Montgomery to the Cardinals in exchange for center fielder Harrison Bader. He speculates that the team might view Cortes as expendable in the postseason rotation, similar to their assessment of Montgomery. Kirschner notes that Cortes’ additional year of team control could make him an attractive trade asset.
“The Yankees made a similar move in 2022 when they traded Jordan Montgomery to the Cardinals for center fielder Harrison Bader,” he said. “The thinking was Montgomery would not be a part of the Yankees’ playoff rotation, and general manager Brian Cashman wanted to shore up a critical spot defensively. Cortes comes with one more year of team control, and he still has value. They could use a new starting infielder or left fielder in exchange for Cortes.”
Despite the team’s recent struggles and the trade rumors, Cortes expressed his pride in being a Yankee through social media on July 16. He emphasized the privilege of wearing pinstripes and the team’s consistent competitiveness, indicating his desire to remain with the organization.
“Everyone talks down about the yanks but they wanna be us. It’s a privilege to wear pinstripes. Every year we are in contention. I’m blessed to be able to compete for a playoff spot and always be contenders at the end,” the Yankees pitcher tweeted.
However, the Yankees’ potential postseason rotation already features strong pitchers like Gerrit Cole, Marcus Stroman, and Luis Gil, which could make Cortes expendable. Cortes, who was the opening-day starter, has posted a 3.99 ERA over 21 starts this season, with recent performances showing some inconsistency. His stats include allowing 11 earned runs in his last 8 2/3 innings across two starts.
Cortes’ 2023 season was limited to 12 starts with a 4.97 ERA, further contextualizing his potential trade value and the Yankees’ decision-making process as they approach the deadline.
Yankees’ trade desperation?
The Yankees’ offensive performance has declined noticeably in July, dropping to 18th in runs scored after ranking in the top 10 for the previous three months. This downturn has highlighted the need for additional batting power, with potential replacements being considered for struggling infielders DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres.
LeMahieu’s performance has been particularly concerning, with a .181 batting average over 40 games this season. Torres, while struggling overall with a .229 average, has shown recent signs of improvement, hitting .303 in his last 10 games.
On July 9, General Manager Brian Cashman addressed the media regarding the team’s approach to the July 30 trade deadline. He indicated a willingness to consider various options to address the team’s weaknesses, acknowledging the need for improvement in multiple areas.
Cashman drew parallels to the 2022 season, where the Yankees started strong but faltered in the latter half, ultimately being eliminated by the Houston Astros in the playoffs. He expressed hope that the team’s early-season success would provide a buffer as they work through their current challenges.
The Yankees GM reflected on the team’s 2022 trade deadline acquisitions of Andrew Benintendi, Frankie Montas, and Harrison Bader, which didn’t yield the desired results. However, he suggested that the outcome could be different in 2024.
This situation underscores the Yankees’ need to make strategic moves at the trade deadline to avoid a repeat of last year’s disappointing finish and to maintain their competitiveness in a tight division race.
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One thought on “Trade talks swirl: Analyst claims Nestor Cortes’ Yankees days are numbered”
The Yankees will never win another WS with Boone as manager.