The New York Yankees made a major upgrade to their bullpen by acquiring closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers on December 13.
However, in order to bring Williams on board, the Yankees had to part ways with fan-favorite pitcher Nestor Cortes, as he and breakout prospect Caleb Durbin were sent to Milwaukee in return.
According to an X post from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Curt Hogg, Cortes was celebrating his birthday in Las Vegas when he learned he had been traded. Despite this not being an ideal means of gleaning such massive news, an Instagram post that Cortes made on December 17 makes it seem like he has nothing but love for his former franchise.
“Seems like I’ve written this too many times about NY. But I’m always grateful and proud of being groomed by the Yankee organization. A city full of life and tremendous support from the fans. Where us as players leave everything out on the field regardless of the outcome because the city is breathing and living by every win. With such a unique journey. I’d do it all over again if I had to. A 36 rounder in 2013. Through the years of being an organizational minor league pitcher, to having 3 different stints with the team, to becoming a MLB all star, and endless opportunities to prove myself time after time,” Cortes wrote in the caption of a post that included five headshots from across his professional baseball career.
Cortes concluded the post by writing, “With that being said I’m very excited to join the Brewers organization with so much young talent and a team that’s always competing for playoff contention. I’m ready to take on any role and just be a stepping stone to lead the team in the best of my ability every opportunity I get to pitch. Let’s go BrewCrew!!!”
While Yankees fans’ final memory of Cortes on the field — when he gave up a walk-off home run to Freddie Freeman in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series — isn’t a good one, hopefully these fans can also recall all that he accomplished in the pinstripes during his five seasons in New York.