TAMPA — Nestor Cortes found himself in a bases-loaded jam in his first inning of the spring, but three strikeouts helped him escape unscathed on Monday against the Twins.
More traffic followed for the Yankees’ southpaw, as Cortes allowed seven hits and two earned runs over 2.2 innings in his 2024 exhibition debut. He totaled four strikeouts and 48 pitches in a 9-2 Yankees win.
While Cortes wasn’t spotless, he came away happy with his performance — and his left shoulder.
“The pitches were really crisp,” he said. “Threw to locations I wanted to throw. And most important, got out of there healthy. So a big step forward.”
Rotator cuff strains sent Cortes to the injured list twice last year, and he had a 4.97 ERA over 12 starts. But Cortes avoided surgery at the recommendation of multiple doctors, and he believes his shoulder is “over the hump” after initially struggling to get there early in the offseason.
Cortes said that the day after an outing will be important all spring, as he had trouble recovering between starts last year. Still, he feels he’s been “bouncing back pretty good and back to my normal self.”
“I’m pretty confident it’s behind me,” added Cortes, who reported to camp ahead of schedule. “I already passed that phase. Maybe like November, December, I did wake up feeling a little achy or worried about where I was at.
“It’s been a non-issue for a good month now.”
Cortes said that he felt immediate soreness after he pitched last year, but that hasn’t been the case after recent throwing sessions in camp. He noted that he could have thrown another inning, or at least a few more pitches, on Monday.
However, he and the Yankees are understandably taking things slow as he builds up.
Cortes said that he pitched with 90-95% effort against Minnesota, but the radar gun didn’t reflect the missing 5-10%. His fastball hit 94.2 mph and averaged 92.2 mph.
Last year, Cortes’ heater averaged 91.6 mph while he battled his barking shoulder.
“I thought he kind of had his life on his fastball,” Aaron Boone said. “He’s been building so much good momentum here these last six-eight weeks. And his progression’s gone really well. So hopefully it continues that way.”
While Cortes popped the glove a little more than last year, Juan Soto brought the noise with a booming double off the right field wall in the third inning. The slugger drove in two after homering off the scoreboard at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Sunday.
Do not leave your seat when Juan Soto steps up to the plate.
Watch LIVE: https://t.co/aRu5PF6iD2 pic.twitter.com/bK7dFv1jKW
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) February 26, 2024
“He looks like himself,” DJ LeMahieu said. “He looks really good. I love watching him work. He’s already getting results, which is fun to watch.”
While Soto has looked “really good” at the plate over his first two games, he made his manager hold his breath a bit with an awkward, unsuccessful dive on a shallow flyball in the first inning.
“I saw him kind of flip over his glove a little bit, so those can be a little scary for outfielders,” Boone said after Soto tumbled over, but the right fielder came away fine.
Chill out Juan pic.twitter.com/fgvZcUfrzH
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) February 26, 2024
LEMAHIEU ALSO OK
LeMahieu also avoided any real damage after a short-hopping grounder hit him in his sunglasses-shielded face.
The third baseman had a mark above the bridge of his nose after the game, but that was all.
MARTIAN MAKES CONTACT
As expected, Jasson Domínguez (UCL surgery) began swinging on Monday. Boone said he took about 20 cuts off a tee.
The switch-hitting outfielder, eyeing a summer return, will only hit from the right side for the next few weeks before progressing to left side.
