1:41pm: The two teams have both announced the move.
“Nestor is a versatile lefty who can do a little bit of everything,” Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto said in a statement announcing the swap. “He can start, he can relieve, he can give you those middle innings or even operate as an opener.”
Seattle’s 40-man roster is now at 36 players.
1:30pm: The Yankees have traded left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. to the Mariners in exchange for international bonus allotments, Buster Olney of ESPN reports (via Twitter). New York designated Cortes for assignment last week when setting the 40-man roster in advance of next month’s Rule 5 Draft.
Cortes, 25 next month, has appeared in 37 big league games over the past two seasons — all but one of which was a relief outing. Though he’s been a longtime Yankees farmhand, the lefty actually made his MLB debut with the Orioles in 2018 after Baltimore selected him in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft. He wasn’t able to hold his roster spot, however, and was returned to the Yankees during the ’18 season.
This past year, Cortes made his Yankees debut but limped to a 5.67 ERA in 66 2/3 innings. He averaged 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings pitched and logged a 10.5 percent swinging-strike rate, but Cortes also averaged 3.8 walks and 2.2 home runs per nine frames in his limited time with the Yanks. He doesn’t generate many grounders (34.2 percent), nor does he throw especially hard (89.6 mph average fastball), but lefties with strong Triple-A track records and minor league options remaining will always have some appeal throughout the league. Cortes has a pair of options left and, in 205 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level, has a 3.11 ERA with 8.7 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9. A move to a more pitcher-friendly setting could certainly help to curb the home-run troubles that plagued him in 2019, and at the very least he’ll give the Mariners some depth both in the rotation and as a long relief option.
The amount of money the Yankees received in return for Cortes isn’t presently known, but international allotments have to be traded in blocks of $250K, so New York picked up at least that much in additional resources to add to its pool.
Good by the Yankees.
To Steve Adams-
my apologies on this mornings dispute. I overreacted and I realize what I said and what you said. You were just trying to state the reality and I don’t know why I I overreacted. Thanks, Go Twins!
And like that, a relationship is born!
The article should read “all but one of which was *not* a start.” The Yankees may have had some SP depth issues the last few years, but it’s never gotten so bad that they gave Cortes 36 starts.
Ha, very true. Meant to put that all but one were relief outings. Thanks for that!
Big deal bring back sonny gray
I don’t think Cincinnati would trade their co-ace.
A 1.545 WHIP
Blockbuster trade.
You are making a SERIOUS run for the award, arent you?
Back in the day, to win a Gold Glove, all you had to do was hit.
Welcome to the Mariners Nestor. Don’t get too comfortable though. History shows that you will be traded within one year. *See many other fringe pitchers that Dipoto has acquired.*
More likely he will be released to make room for more mediocrity
Hes better than that era suggests. Most games he came in after green opened the game.
It was his job to give some length, and the yankees left him in a few times to bite the bullet, he actually pitched well most times.
I agree. I watched him pitch a lot. You hit the nail on the head. Sometimes it seemed as if he was sacrificed in the name of resting the bullpen especially in the beginning of the year. There is no way this guy should pitch any longer than 2 innings. The opposing teams batting average jumped 130+ points from the first time they faced him to the second time. His problem was that he doesn’t have great stuff. He’s got good deception and a good mix of pitches so he can keep people off balance the first time they see him. But once they figure him out he’s toast. If he’s not on his game he’s toast.
On a 26 man roster like we’ll have this year he’s a decent depth piece in the bullpen. But he doesn’t have any upside. Had to go
Not sure I agree that
his ERA was just because they made him soak up innings. There were perhaps a couple of times like that, yes, but he allowed at least one run in 20 of his 33 outings, and among the other 13, four only consisted of one or two outs. Only about half his outings netted a positive WPA. He’s got potential, but does not belong making regular outings for a competitive team at this stage.
Relievers don’t have a lot of time to overcome bad pitches. All it takes is one bad pitch and the ball is in the seats. Cortes problem is that he didn’t have the stuff to get away with being even slightly off his game. He had very little margin for error.
You have to have excellent control if you’re only running it up there at 89mph these days
Usually lower than that. He was absolutely terrible in Baltimore. FB sat 88 most of the time. Maybe in a huge park he’d be serviceable but I doubt it.
As a swing man w options he should stick around for at least another year or so. Maybe he’ll learn something from Marco Gonzales.
Keep up the good moves cash
Good riddance!
Another lefty huh?. The way they described Cortes sounds alot like Sheffield’s role lately
Cortes frustrated me last year. He didn’t look terrible but he obviously wasn’t great for the Yanks. Also surprised he only amassed 66 innings. Thought they threw him out there more but maybe he was just used more in the second half. I’m sorry it didn’t work out but also glad to see the Yanks clearing house and being brutally honest about their roster.
I see the Yankees are making moves! Complete joke of jokes!
It’s moves like this to get additional International bonus space that allowed them to sign Jasson Dominguez last year, currently their #2 prospect and MLB’s #66 prospect.
@Louiebeans
They’re making trades for guys they can’t protect from the Rule 5. It’s no big deal one way or the other but if you can find someone to give you international pool money then you take it. If the Yanks sign a major free agent they’ll lose some pool money so this hunk of change can offset the loss a bit.
Beans always shares his hate Yankees commit.
Oh Mrs. Beans is calling you, “Gouey Louie get in here you turkey. Get the vacuum out and clean the floors. Then scrub the bathroom and kitchen.
Be sure that the Brett Gardner photo is straight hanging on your mirror. When he stops over tomorrow I want everything right.
He’s such a man and you are such a wimp to complain about the Yankees.”
It’s Vidal Nuno all over again.
As said above, Cortes pitches better than his ERA. In the middle of the season he was on fire and pitching to a 3 something ERA. When his control is on he throws his four pitches from any arm angle to either side of the plate. The times he was on were really fun to watch. End of season he slumped and exploded his months of good work. With a bit more consistency, I could see him thriving in Seattle’s big park as the piggyback 2-3 inning guy that follows the opener. Could post a 110 era+ in that situation maybe—especially if he only faces the top of the order once.
JERRY! JERRY! JERRRY!!!
I’m not sure I like dumping 25yr old pitchers who can be used out of the bullpen or opener
I can be used in either role too doesn’t mean I’m any good at it
@johnnybadd2019
It’s a numbers game. They choose to protect prospects still in the minors that they feel have a higher ceiling than Cortez. They can’t protect everyone. I doubt they traded him just because they didn’t like him.
Are the Yankees loading up on international money to run at the Japanese Babe Ruth?
Cortes was designated for assignment cause they needed the 40 man roster spot for someone better (a sign of their organizational depth). Cortes wasn’t likely going to be able to clear waivers for the Yankees to keep him but not have him count against the 40 man roster. So their options were to either trade him or let him be claimed by some other team and get nothing. So OBVIOUSLY trading him was the better option. As far as what to get back in a trade? Getting back someone else that needs to be protected on the 40 man roster obviously wouldn’t make sense so their options were either some prospect so far away from the majors OR international bonus pool money. They be better off building up as much international pool money as they can get to potentially sign another Jasson Dominguez.
@moocow
I expect the Yanks to make more moves like this. The Yanks may lack top 10 talents they have a mix of serviceable arms and high risk high reward arms. Cortez was out of options. Might as well get international pool money vs nothing. If we’re lucky and the Yanks spend big on a FA the int money from Cortez can help soften the blow. Cortez has value.
It speaks of the Yankees’ system pitching depth albeit plenty of fringe-y ones that can be MLB serviceable. They’re not needle-movers. I’m still wondering how many games next year German will be suspended for but I suspect the Yankees have plans for him.
A team in a win now mode like the Yankees has no business trotting out a pitcher like Cortes. Ever. I was appalled when it happened, though I was even more appalled when they brought out Chance Adams and his 8+ ERA. Seriously. They gave about 100 IP to guys with Cortes’ ERA and higher. And Cashman felt the pitching was good enough to sit pat at the trade deadline.
That’s an exaggeration. Of course the Yankees were willing to make additions to their rotation at the deadline. The problem was that the other teams were asking for way too much. I’ve read that the Diamondbacks wanted Clint Frazier and Devi Garcia for Robby Ray. Robby Ray is a good pitcher but he’s not Ace and is a free agent after next year. Robby Ray wouldn’t have gotten us past the Astros.
It takes more than just a desire to upgrade for a trade to happen you have to make sure its the right trade.
Cashman’s failure was just at the deadline where previous WS winners seems to acquire what they need, it ever off season fro the past X number of years when he has passed on ace after ace.
I’m sick of the my fellow Yankee fans making excuses up for him and and guys who can’t perform against legit MLB teams when it counts.
The goal is winning October, not just getting there.
to Mo’s point those guys pitched so much b/c Yankee starters are substandard for a club with WS aspirations and b/c the Yankee offense puts up 2 TDs a game against the dregs of the league like Baltimore, so cortes and the like can win with eras near 6. It just skews how people view em….
This team could have spent money on SP in the off season but they decided to go cheap just like this season guys just sitting out there and where are the Yankees? Waiting in smoke and mirrors secret land. Believe it when you see it cuz I have zero faith in the team all they’ll do is slap a quick fix on it and sign the 37 year old Gardner.
This team is built to win now and after last year they should have gotten Corbin and others. Now what are they doing nothing. Go out open the check book and get Col tomorrow not in December now in March NOW! But they won’t their full of excuses on why they can’t
DJL had a better year than Manny or Harper, I agree they should have got Corbin, but Paxton was ace like the second half of the season. I think we wind up with Strasburg or Wheeler, with Cole going to LA or San Diego.
Yankees are full of excuses on why they didn’t get this #1 SP.
This team has becomes nothing more then quick fixes.
The Yankees should be called the New York Diversions
“He doesn’t generate many grounders (34.2 percent), nor does he throw especially hard (89.6 mph average fastball).” Yeah that’s not concerning at all. Maybe future lefty specialist but junk balling people to death isn’t going to cut it.
I wonder with the new 3 batter rule how many more lefties like cortez that is decent against righties get kept. LOOGY contracts might go down big time since basically they would be liabilities or they have to get better against righties.
“The amount of money the Yankees received in return for Cortes isn’t presently known, but international allotments have to be traded in blocks of $250K, so New York picked up at least that much in additional resources to add to its pool.” Seattle doesn’t have $250 K left, so they traded their remaining allotment which is considerable less.
Now if we can get some team to give us a bag of big league chew for Cessa, our pitching is looking much better already, lol.
DJL had a better year than Manny or Harper, I agree they should have got Corbin, but Paxton was ace like the second half of the season. I think we wind up with Strasburg or Wheeler, with Cole going to LA or San Diego.