Reports: Padres obtain LHP Nestor Cortes from Brewers

Field Level Media|published: Thu 31st July, 19:23 2025

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Nestor Cortes (20) starts for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers against the South Bend Cubs during their baseball game on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. South Bend defeated Wisconsin 12-3. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

The San Diego Padres obtained left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes from the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Brandon Lockridge prior to Thursday's trading deadline, according to multiple reports.

Cortes, sidelined for nearly four months due to a left elbow flexor strain, is on the 60-day injured list. He just completed a four-outing rehab stint and had a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings at the Class A and Triple-A levels.

The Padres added Cortes to the rotation on the same day it kept much-coveted right-hander Dylan Cease for the stretch run.

Cortes, 30, was an All-Star in 2022 when he went a career-best 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 28 starts for the New York Yankees.

This season, Cortes was 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts before going on the injured list. This was his first season with Milwaukee.

Cortes is 34-22 with a 3.88 ERA in 137 appearances (88 starts) in eight seasons with the Baltimore Orioles (2018), Yankees (2019, 2021-24), Seattle Mariners (2020) and Brewers.

Lockridge, 28, is batting .216 with five RBIs and eight steals in 47 games for the Padres.

He has a .210 average in 100 career at-bats over the past two seasons.

--Field Level Media