NEW YORK — With the 2025 MLB trade deadline looming, the New York Yankees are once again circling familiar territory. This time, it’s not about blockbuster splashes, but potential reunions. Left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. and right-hander Chad Green, both key pieces in recent Yankee runs, have emerged as realistic options to bolster a worn-down pitching staff.
Cortes available: A Yankees return on the cards?
The most intriguing name is Nestor Cortes, the 2022 All-Star who became a cult favorite in the Bronx for his deception and flair. According to Sports Illustrated, the Milwaukee Brewers are open to moving Cortes before the deadline, and the Yankees have shown interest.
Cortes, 30, was traded to Milwaukee during the offseason in a surprising move that cleared rotation space and payroll for New York. But after a promising start to 2025, his year has taken a sharp downturn. He has posted a 4.91 ERA across 18 starts, with opponents batting .273 against him. His velocity remains below league average, and his home run rate has spiked.
Still, the Yankees know what Cortes brings when healthy and comfortable. His 2022 campaign — 2.44 ERA, 0.92 WHIP over 158 innings — remains one of the best by a Yankee starter in the last five years.
Jon Heyman set off the talk with his tweet, “Nestor Cortes is a trade candidate with the amazing Brewers actually having a starter surplus. Might the Yankees bring him back?”
Cortes remains under team control through 2025, making him an appealing depth add rather than a rental. That matters as New York’s rotation continues to wobble. Gerrit Cole is out for the season, Luis Gil is battling shoulder inflammation again, and Max Fried is on a blister watch. The need for a proven arm who knows the Bronx pressure is evident.
Manager Aaron Boone has often praised Cortes’ intangibles. “He’s just a competitor. He finds a way,” Boone said back in 2022. That familiarity could prompt a reunion if Milwaukee’s asking price isn’t steep.
Chad Green DFA’d: Do Yankees have a chance?
Another name drawing attention is Chad Green. The right-handed reliever was designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays on July 29, shortly after the team acquired righty reliever Trevor Richards from Boston.
Green, now 34, was a staple in the Yankees bullpen from 2016 through 2022. Known for his high-spin fastball and reliability in high-leverage spots, he had a 3.17 ERA in pinstripes over 272 games. Tommy John surgery in 2022 ended his time in New York, but he rebounded in Toronto with decent results last year.
His 2025 season has been less consistent. He’s posted a 4.56 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 25.2 innings. Walks and long balls have haunted him, but scouts still believe he has swing-and-miss stuff when used properly.
Green is now on waivers, and the Yankees could make a low-cost move to bring him back. Their bullpen, once a strength, has deteriorated in recent weeks. Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle are no longer with the team. Michael Tonkin and Ron Marinaccio have also departed. Newcomers like Ian Hamilton and Will Warren have struggled with consistency.
Even if Green is no longer elite, he offers experience, leadership, and the ability to bridge innings. His return would be met with instant clubhouse respect and could help stabilize middle relief.
Nostalgia or necessity? Yankees weigh the upside
Bringing back former Yankees might feel sentimental, but there’s a hard-nosed logic to both potential reunions.
Cortes’ knowledge of Yankee Stadium and AL East hitters is invaluable. He was also a Boone favorite, who succeeded under pressure in October. Green, meanwhile, represents one of the few available arms with deep playoff experience who wouldn’t require a trade package.
The Yankees have made big moves already, acquiring Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario to reshape the infield. But the pitching market has thinned. Top-tier arms like Mason Miller and David Bednar have steep price tags. For New York, who remain 5.5 games behind Toronto in the AL East, marginal upgrades could make the difference between October success and disappointment.
General manager Brian Cashman has historically looked to familiar faces for late-season reinforcements. In recent years, he brought back Andrew Miller and Adam Warren. Adding Cortes or Green would follow that blueprint.
Boone’s trust factor could be key
What might tip the scale is trust. Boone has always valued pitchers who can take the ball and compete, regardless of stat lines. Both Cortes and Green have done that for him. In a tight playoff race, familiarity can win out over upside.
Cortes was among the most creative pitchers in the league during his Yankees run. His timing changes and hesitation moves made him a fan favorite. Green, meanwhile, was Boone’s go-to in some of the most intense postseason games of the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
That trust and comfort could make all the difference down the stretch.
Trade clock ticking
The deadline expires at 6 p.m. ET on July 31. The Yankees are still evaluating bullpen targets across the league, including lefties from Oakland and closers from Pittsburgh. But if Milwaukee is willing to deal Cortes for a mid-tier prospect, or if Green clears waivers, the path to a Bronx reunion could materialize quickly.
While neither name would headline MLB Network’s deadline ticker, both moves could quietly reshape a shaky Yankees staff.
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