The Philadelphia Phillies completed a sweep of the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, extending their winning streak to six games while making a notable addition to their pitching depth.
The club agreed to a major league deal with former New York Yankees All-Star left-hander Nestor Cortes, adding him to the 40-man roster before assigning him to Single-A Clearwater.
To make room, Philadelphia designated Brian Keller for assignment.
Interim manager Don Mattingly admitted he has barely seen Cortes pitch in person, saying he had only caught a few of his pitches on television.
Still, Mattingly viewed the move as a useful depth addition, pointing to Cortes’ experience and suggesting the Phillies believe the veteran is throwing well enough to warrant the opportunity.
Cortes has played for five MLB organizations and spent five seasons with the Yankees.
His best season came in 2022, when he earned his only All-Star selection after going 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA and 163 strikeouts over 28 starts.
That breakout campaign established him as one of the more effective left-handed starters in the league.
The left-hander struggled during an injury-plagued 2025 season, making eight combined starts for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres while posting a 6.29 ERA across 34⅓ innings.
Cortes has not appeared in the majors this season after undergoing surgery on his throwing arm, and he is now beginning his comeback in the minor leagues.
With Philadelphia pushing for the postseason, the Phillies are hoping the former All-Star can regain his previous form and potentially provide valuable pitching depth down the stretch.
