The New York Yankees are locked into the postseason. However, a problem is brewing.
The Yankees have placed starting pitcher Nestor Cortes on the 15-day injured list with an elbow issue, per a team announcement. Cortes was slated to start Wednesday night’s game against the Orioles. Marcus Stroman gets the nod instead. The Yankees also recalled right-hander Cody Poteet from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Cortes had a roller coaster of a season and had temporarily lost his spot in the rotation. He had posted a 3.77 ERA and a 1.153 WHIP over his 174.1 innings, striking out 162 batters with 39 walks. Cortes had been much better since his brief demotion to the bullpen, allowing just one run on seven hits and seven walks over his 15.1 innings, striking out 18 batters.
The Yankees now have a significant hole to fill in their postseason roster. Cortes had pitched his way into the Yankees’ playoff picture, but his role was still undefined. For his part, Cortes stated that he would be willing to pitch in any capacity, even if that meant returning to the bullpen for an October run. However, that is now uncertain due to his injury.
Both potential replacements are surrounded with question marks. Stroman had struggled in his nine starts after the All-Star break, posting a 5.40 ERA and a 1.685 WHIP in his 43.1 innings, striking out 31 batters with 13 walks. He performed reasonably well in his first relief outing, allowing one run on five hits while striking out three batters over three innings on Sept. 17 in the Yankees’ 11-2 victory.
Poteet had spent most of the season in Triple-A while battling finger and triceps injuries. He has made four starts for the Yankees, posting a 2.14 ERA and a 1.048 WHIP over his 21 innings, striking out 13 batters with seven walks. However, Poteet has just 23 major league appearances in his career — he may not be the best option for a role on a postseason pitching staff.
ESPN’s Jorge Castillo added that Cortes is optimistic he can return if the Yankees make a deep playoff run. His absence still leaves a sizable hole in the Yankees’ postseason plans.
