The New York Yankees simply can’t catch a break with injuries in the month of August. Recently, bullpen arm Scott Effross and Clay Holmes headed to the injured list, but the latest addition is starting pitcher Nestor Cortes.
Yankees starter Nestor Cortes will be placed on the injured list with a groin injury, sources told The Athletic on Thursday. Right-handed reliever Greg Weissert will be called up from Triple A to join the team in Oakland.
Per Lindsey Adler The Athletic
Losing Nestor Cortes is devastating for the Yankees:
Cortes has been phenomenal for the Yankees this season, recording a 2.68 ERA, 3.7o xFIP, 9.14 strikeouts per nine, and 83.3% left on base rate and 32.7% ground ball rate over 131 innings. This is the biggest sample size Nestor has experienced in his entire career, but the injury seems to be completely unrelated to fatigue.
The groin injury could keep him out for a few weeks, but the hope is he will make a return for the postseason. In the month of August, Cortes features a 3.33 ERA, allowing just one run in his last performance against the Toronto Blue Jays, in which the team emerged victorious 4–2.
The 27-year-old lefty is expected to play a significant part in the playoffs, serving as the expected number three option in the starting rotation. He will slot him behind Gerrit Cole and Frankie Montas, who was just acquired at the trade deadline.
Groin injuries typically take about three weeks to recover from, so he could make a regular season appearance before the Yankees head into elimination rounds.