Nestor Cortes likely for Yankees roster; Gerrit Cole to start G1

The New York Yankees expect to have left-hander Nestor Cortes on the roster when the World Series begins Friday against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Cortes has not pitched in the postseason because of an elbow flexor strain, last taking the mound Sept. 18 in the regular season when he pitched six scoreless innings against the Seattle Mariners.

The Yankees have not finalized their World Series rotation, but Gerrit Cole is expected to start in Game 1. The Southern California native was 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 regular-season starts and gave up one run over six innings to earn a win at Los Angeles in 2023.

Cortes threw a live batting practice session and will have another one this week before the club leaves to the West Coast.

"He is scheduled to throw another live (Tuesday)," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "So if everything goes well there, I would say there is a decent chance that he could be on the roster, yes."

Cortes, 29, went 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA in 31 appearances (30 starts) this season, while showing flashes of the form that carried him to a 12-4 record with a 2.44 ERA in 2022, when he finished eighth in the American League Cy Young Award voting.

The Cuba native has two appearances against the Dodgers, including one this season when he gave up four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings while taking the loss in a 11-3 Yankees defeat on June 8 at home.

In three career postseason starts, all in the 2022 playoffs, Cortes is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and seven strikeouts and seven walks in 12 innings.

--Field Level Media