Nestor Cortes Has “Nasty” Brewers Debut At His Former Stadium

Image Credit: MLB

BRONX, NY — Saturday afternoon’s Yankee game vs. the Milwaukee Brewers was a game that I as well as many fans were interested in following for one reason, former Yankee pitcher, Nestor “Nasty” Cortes was scheduled to pitch against his former team. We know baseball is a business and players get traded all the time, but Cortes was a Yankee that many loved as a player and as a person and that made his return to face the Yankees more interesting.

In the home opener pregame press conference on Thursday, Yankee manager Aaron Boone was asked about seeing Nestor on the opposing team. Boone had nothing but praise for him. He stated that they are good friends and constantly texting each other and wished him well.

Afterwards I had the opportunity to catch up with Nestor in the Brewers clubhouse. We hugged as we also had a good relationship and had recently seen each other in Spring Training. I took the opportunity to ask him about the switch coming to the Bronx and now in the opposing teams locker room. Nestor confessed that it did feel somewhat strange, but he quickly stated that he had some of his best memories in the Bronx with the Yankees. He said he loved his time in the Bronx, loved the players, the staff, and the fans. I told him what Boone had said about him, and he smiled.

I reminded him of some of those great moments like when we presented him with his 2022 American League LatinoMVP Pitcher of the Year award in a pregame on field ceremony in front of his family friends and fans. I reminded him of his All-Star appearance as a Yankee.

He stated that those were memories that he will have forever and hopefully share in the future with grandkids. I then asked him how those fond memories would affect him when he faces the Yankees for the first time on Saturday.  Nestor smiled and said, “No, no way, once I step between those lines (foul lines) it’s going to be over for them.” We laughed and he quickly went to do his workout.

Today, I was at the stadium to see Nestor’s return to the stadium, but this time pitching against his former team. I was excited to see how this game was going to play itself out.

The Yankee fans showed Nestor love when they were introducing the players from each team. When they announced Cortes, he received a loud response from the fans demonstrating that they also had good memories and appreciated his time as a Yankee.

Unfortunately, everything fell apart in the bottom of the first inning when Nestor took the mound. His first pitch to Yankee leadoff batter Paul Goldschmidt was deposited over the left centerfield wall. The Yankee fans exploded in loud cheers as Nestor’s heart must have been sinking as he saw Goldschmidt run around the bases. However, it got worse the next batter, Cody Bellinger followed with back-to-back also on the first pitch. Just when you thought it could not get worse, it did. The next batter, Aaron Judge smacked Nestor’s first pitch and the first of his three home runs over the upper left field wall to make it 3 -0.

This was the first time in MLB history where a team hits back-to-back to back home runs all on the first pitch. The entire stadium exploded, so did the hearts of many of us who were watching and feeling for Nestor as he was being mercilessly walloped by his former friends and players. Nestor finally got through the next two Yankee batters, but Austin Wells joined the Yankee first inning homerun club and homered to make it 4-0. Cortes left in the second inning and probably left the stadium not much after that as he was not in the stadium when the game ended.

This game turned out to be a laugher for the Yankees winning 20-9.

Being a neighbor to Yankee stadium since a child I have attended many historic moments at the stadium, this will be another one to add to my list.

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