The Yankees rolled out the welcome mat and then set it on fire. In a return that was supposed to be a nostalgic homecoming, the lefty delivered a meltdown of historic proportions, turning a regular game against the Yankees into a game of Home Run Derby. And just like his cutter, Nestor Cortes’ post-game presence completely vanished.

​In his Milwaukee Brewers debut against his former team, Cortes endured a challenging outing. He pitched for two innings, surrendering eight earned runs on six hits, including five home runs. Additionally, he issued five walks and recorded two strikeouts. This performance resulted in an ERA of 36.00. What went down in the Yankee Stadium should be considered more of a destruction rather than a game. The Milwaukee Brewers and Nestor Cortes got hit so hard that it barely felt like a game. After the disaster, all Cortes could do was hide his head.

But manager Pat Murphy had to come and face the cameras, and he gave his opinion on what happened in the game. Murphy during the press conference said, “He didn’t throw the ball good. He didn’t execute. He didn’t throw the ball good. He’d be the first to tell you.” The manager acknowledged the bad performance by the team and Cortes. He also says that if Nestor Cortes had asked the same question, the media would have gotten the same answer. But to get an answer from the man himself, he had to show himself to the media which he didn’t.

After the game, it was reported that Nestor Cortes left the stadium without talking to the media. This caused a huge stir, but it was later cleared up by the Brewers that there was some miscommunication. They said that Cortes would speak to the press before the final game of this Yankees series on Sunday.

But that’s the thing—miscommunication doesn’t explain a vanishing act. The Yankees didn’t just take Cortes’ pitches deep; they took his confidence with them. And it wasn’t by chance. The Yankees came into this game with a plan.

Aaron Judge explains how Yankees took down Nestor Cortes with ease

The Yankees didn’t just beat Nestor Cortes—they ambushed him. Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge turned his homecoming into a fireworks show, sending his pitches into orbit before fans even got comfortable. With a game plan sharper than Cortes’ breaking ball, the Bronx Bombers made one thing clear: they knew exactly how to dismantle their former teammate.

While in an interview, Aaron Judge revealed how they were able to smack Nestor Cortes 3 homers in his first 3 pitches. Judge said, “We just try to go out there and be aggressive on our zone. Goldy and Belly set the table and got things going.” If being aggressive was the only plan, then it clearly worked because the Yankees scored 20 in the game. Even after this mayhem they caused, Judge still supports Nestor Cortes and says that Cortes is still one of the best pitchers in the league.

After the game, even Aaron Boone came out to support Nestor Cortes and said, “I mean, look, we’re in competition out there, and it’s the game once that happens.” Boone says he wants Cortes to have a great year ahead. He expects him to only improve from here.

Nestor Cortes may still be one of the best, but the Yankees sure didn’t treat him like one. They turned his debut into a Bronx nightmare, proving that knowing a pitcher’s playbook is half the battle—and executing is the other half. If this was just an “off day” for Cortes, he better hope the Brewers don’t run into the Yankees again anytime soon. But here’s the real question: Can Cortes bounce back from this?