The New York Yankees have made their decision for the Opening Day starter.
According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, Nestor Cortes will be the one to take the mound as the Yankees kick off their season on March 28 against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
This announcement comes as the team’s ace, Gerrit Cole, deals with an elbow injury. Cole, who has been the Opening Day starter for the Yankees since signing a massive contract in 2020, is expected to be sidelined for one to two months due to the ailment.
Cortes, although having a challenging spring, will step into the role, becoming the first left-handed pitcher to start an Opening Day for the Yankees since CC Sabathia in 2014. During spring training, Cortes has started three games, conceding nine runs on 17 hits and two walks across 10 innings.
The 29-year-old lefty is coming off a 2023 season where he recorded a 5-2 record, with a 4.97 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 67 strikeouts in 63.1 innings over 12 starts.
The Yankees will be relying on Cortes to set the tone on Opening Day against a formidable Astros team aiming for their third World Series appearance in four seasons.
Meanwhile, Cole is undergoing further evaluation for his elbow injury with renowned sports surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, as reported by Mark W. Sanchez and Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Initial scans didn’t reveal a UCL tear, but ElAttrache suggested in-person assessment.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone disclosed that concerns about Cole’s elbow arose when he reported recovery issues and difficulty between starts.
Despite Cole’s absence from the rotation, the Yankees will look to a group including Cortes, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, and Clarke Schmidt to anchor the pitching staff as they begin the season.
