The Cuban pitcher Néstor Cortés Jr. will return to Major League Baseball after reaching an agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies, according to a report by Robert Murray on FanSided.
The contract is pending the left-hander passing the corresponding physical exam, and the club has not yet made an official announcement.
The return of the nickname "Nasty Néstor" comes after he spent the entire 2026 season out of action. In October 2025, he underwent surgery to repair a tendon tear in his left arm, with a recovery prognosis of nine to ten months.
Before closing the deal with Philadelphia, the Cuban had bullpen sessions in front of scouts from various organizations to demonstrate the condition of his arm, and sparked the interest of the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Chicago White Sox, according to journalist Francys Romero on his social media.
The 2025 season was a nightmare for the 31-year-old pitcher. The Yankees traded him to Milwaukee in December 2024 in exchange for reliever Devin Williams, but with the Brewers, he pitched just eight innings with an ERA of 9.00 before landing on the injured list due to a left elbow flexor strain.
The Brewers traded him to the San Diego Padres in late July 2025, where he made six starts with an ERA of 5.47 before returning to the injured list in September due to left bicep tendinitis, which ultimately led to surgery in October.
The addition addresses a specific need for the Phillies, who are currently 69-58 and sit 5.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East, although they hold a one-game lead in the wild-card race. The team was unable to acquire a starter during the trade market on August 3 and lacks proven depth behind their starting five, which includes Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Andrew Painter.
According to Murray, Cortés could step in as the sixth starter to keep the main starters fresh or, more likely, operate as a long-relief pitcher while he completes his recovery to full form.
"The difficulties that Nola and Painter have faced at times this season make having another viable option in the Majors a very useful flexibility for Don Mattingly," said the journalist.
The best Cortés was recorded in 2022 with the Yankees, finishing with a record of 12-4, an ERA of 2.44, and 163 strikeouts in 158.1 innings, which earned him a selection to the All-Star Game alongside Yordan Álvarez. In his eight seasons in the Major Leagues, he has a career ERA of 3.94 and 564 strikeouts in 555.2 innings.
Philadelphia seeks with this signing the depth it didn't find before the trade deadline, and Cortés will have the opportunity to prove that his recovery is complete as the season approaches its final stretch, where the Phillies are still in contention for the divisional title.
Related videos:
Filed under: