No Cole, No Problem? Who’s Next Up??

Who will be the Yankees' starting pitcher on opening day??? The Yankees announced yesterday that it will be "Nasty Nestor" aka Nestor Cortez!

While I am obviously pissed/sad that Gerrit Cole won't pitch for the next month or two and can't start the season with a win against the Astros, I do like that the Yankees are plugging in Nestor Cortez for the first game. Nestor has been on the Yankees for the last three seasons as a solid starting pitcher, typically in the number three slot of the rotation. His best year was 2022, when he pitched 28 games, recording a 2.44 ERA and a 12-4 record. Last season, Cortez dealt with some injuries and only pitched 12 games, where he recorded a 4.97 ERA and a 5-2 record.

This year, Yankee fans are looking for a solid, healthy season from Cortez, as the rest of the rotation is a question mark. After a very subpar season from Carlos Ródon, who is paid $27 million a year, fans are skeptical of Ródon living up to his contract. Ródon isn't even the only high-paid starter on the Yankees that fans are worried about! This offseason, the Yankees paid Marcus Stroman $37 million for two years, which is fully guaranteed. Stroman is a consistently strong pitcher, so I'm not entirely worried about him living up to the contract, but after last year with Ródon, my faith in pitchers that the Yankees sign has wavered. With Cole missing the first month or two of the season, we need Ródon, Stroman, and Cortez to be solid through the first half of the season to give the Yankees a leg up in the AL East.

I have faith in Nestor Cortez, who will lead the Yankees to victory over the cheating Houston Astros on March 28th! We are only a week and a half away from the first pitch, and I cannot wait!!!!