The New York Yankees are slated to engage in a doubleheader with the Chicago White Sox on Thursday afternoon. However, due to the deteriorated air quality resulting from wildfires in Canada, additional postponements are likely on the horizon.
Despite the uncertain circumstances, the Yankees have been proactive in making some roster adjustments ahead of the games. Most notably, they have placed Nestor Cortes on the injured list and called up a left-handed bullpen pitcher from Triple-A Scranton.
Cortes was formally diagnosed with a strain in his left rotator cuff, an unfortunate injury that was increasingly challenging to manage between starts. The 28-year-old pitcher is currently navigating one of his most difficult professional seasons, with a 5.16 ERA, 8.95 strikeouts per nine innings, a 68.2% left on-base rate, and a career-low ground ball rate of 25.9%.
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The Yankees yearn for the return of the old Nestor Cortes:
Following his impressive 2.44 ERA in 2022, it’s clear that Cortes is not performing at his usual level. Providing him with sufficient time to recover should be, and indeed is, a priority for the Yankees. They need him to be fully fit after the All-Star break.
To fill the void left by Cortes on the roster, the Yankees have promoted left-handed relief pitcher Matt Krook.
The 28-year-old has logged 18.1 innings in Triple-A this season, boasting an impressive 1.47 ERA. Despite being called up a few weeks ago, he has not yet made his MLB debut. However, his success in the minor leagues suggests he is ready for the challenge.
Krook is primarily a bullpen pitcher, even though he was utilized as a starter last year with Scranton, during which he threw 138.2 innings. While he is capable of acting as a spot starter, the Yankees may have other plans for him.
In the absence of Cortes, the coming weeks are likely to present an intriguing dilemma for the rotation, which will necessitate some inventive solutions.