“Please stop pitching for us” – Yankees fans disheartened after Nestor Cortes’ disappointing latest start (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

Nestor Cortes played a crucial role towards the success of his team during the opening two months of the season. But he has been going through a difficult patch over the past few weeks.

The left-handed pitcher had another hugely disappointing outing on Thursday evening, allowing six earned runs in less than five innings as the New York Yankees lost 9-4 at home to the Los Angeles Angels.

Yankees fans were not pleased with his latest performance and voiced their discontent on X.

“Sorry Nestor but please stop pitching for us,” posted one fan.

“This dude needs to go,” one fan wrote.

“There is zero reason this guy is still on our major league roster,” another fan agreed.

Several Yankees fans called for Nestor Cortes to be taken out of the starting rotation into a bullpen role for the Yankees or even to the minor leagues.

“Needs to go to the bullpen,” a Yankees fan posted on X.

“Bullpen material now,” wrote another fan.

“I’d send him to AAA. Very hittable pitcher,” another fan said.

Nestor Cortes is a seven-year veteran of the American League and is in his fifth season inNew York.

The 29-year-old had an excellent two-year spell from 2021-22, compiling a 14-7 record with a miserly 2.61 ERA in that period. However, he has failed to hit those heights since then and is enduring the most challenging time of his MLB career.

Cortes enjoyed a solid start to the 2024 season, having a 3.30 ERA through his first 12 starts, allowing an OPS of just .628 to the opposing hitters. But his production has dipped considerably since then. He has had a 5.22 ERA with an OPS of .860 over his last 11 starts before Thursday night.

The Yankees may not take drastic steps just yet, but with the playoffs approaching, Cortes might not get too many more chances to rediscover his form.

Yankees could drop Nestor Cortes from rotation when Clarke Schmidt returns

Nestor Cortes could be dropped out of the New York Yankees rotation. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)
Although the New York Yankees have ended their month-long slump, their pitching staff still looks quite shaky, as only one member of the starting rotation has an ERA below 4.00. Therefore, one of their established starters may have to make way for Clarke Schmidt when he returns.

Schmidt has been the best performer of the Yankees rotation this season, with a 5-3 record from 11 starts and a 2.61 ERA. The 28-year-old has been a long-term absentee but is expected to come return from the IL by the end of the month, and his presence on the mound is sorely needed by his team.

As things stand, the Yankees will be forced to drop Nestor Cortes from their starting rotation if he doesn’t improve his performances immediately.