The New York Yankees, after several days of rumors and speculation, have announced their roster to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 World Series.
The Yankees, who will be looking for their 28th trophy, are much healthier on the pitching side than their counterparts. They only have one starter dealing with injury issues, and after a solid week of work and throwing sessions, he has been included on the roster.
We are talking, of course, about left-hander Nestor Cortes. After missing the AL Division and Championship Series with a left elbow flexor strain, Yankees manager Aaron Boone will be able to have him back in a relief role.
The Yankees need Cortes to shore up the bullpen
Cortes was a key cog on the Yankees rotation in the regular season, posting a 3.77 ERA in 174.1 innings of work. He walked just 39 hitters and struck out 162 in one of his best seasons to date.
Unfortunately, in late September, he was diagnosed with the flexor strain and given a very remote chance to make it back before the end of the season. These injuries typically take several weeks and, in some cases, months to heal.
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Since his UCL is intact and the severity of the strain wasn’t too significant, the Yankees southpaw made it back in time for the most important series of the season. He recently said he is willing to risk a more severe injury for a chance to pitch in the Fall Classic, and his wish just came true.
The Yankees don’t have too many left-handed relief options beyond Tim Hill and Tim Mayza, so they needed Cortes badly. Utility infielder Jon Berti, who had been seeing playing time as a first baseman mostly, is the odd man out for the Yankees to make room for Nasty Nestor.
