Is Nestor Cortes Jr. feeling the heat from the Yankees’ latest decisions? According to Bryan Hoch’s latest tweet, it sure seems like it! The Bronx Bombers have been in a bit of a mess lately, with lineup changes that seem to be shaking things up and potentially messing with the team’s flow. Especially the pitching staff has been struggling under the pressure. The recent return of two key players should’ve been a game-changer. But things turned differently for Cortes.

Instead of easing the load, this comeback seems to have thrown the 29-year-old into a bit of a pickle! Yup, you heard that right. While the return of Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt from the injured list was a moment of celebration for the Yankees, it also meant that someone had to make way for these two. And guess what? That someone was Cortes. Now, he’s stepping up and letting the world know exactly how he’s feeling about this shift.

How is Nestor Cortes Jr. feeling about this lineup change?

“Obviously I was upset. I felt like I’ve been, amongst all the starters, the workhorse here.” And we agree, he has pitched the most for the Bronx Bombers this season, with his overall 2024 season stats being a 3.97 ERA and 147 strikeouts. And with a WHIP of 1.15, was keeping hitters on their toes! Well, he wasn’t only upset because of this; he was also upset because it was the second time that a lineup change had happened for him.

Previously, when Gerrit Cole went down, the team picked the 29-year-old pitcher to be the Opening Day starter, for which he had to change his flow, and now he has to do it again. “I had to switch my routine there, and now they do this.” He was surely not happy with his position, but that doesn’t mean the left-hander reflected that in his performance. In his first relief outing since 2021, he was on fire, showing he’s still got the magic touch.

He tossed 4 ¹/₃ no-hit innings to finish off a 2-0 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Despite his displeasure with the new bullpen role, Cortes showed he’s all in for the team. After the game, he put it simply: “I’m never going to leave my teammates out to dry. You’re always going to get my best effort, no matter if I’m happy or not.” But here’s the big question: Will we ever see Nestor Cortes starting a game again?

With Clarke Schmidt making a strong return, the chances of Cortes getting back to that starting role seem pretty slim!

Clarke Schmidt’s blockbuster comeback

The 28-year-old made a stunning return to the mound, starting for the first time since May 26 after a lat injury. What a comeback! He delivered a scoreless outing, and it wasn’t a one-off performance. Just a day earlier, Luis Gil, fresh off the injured list, threw six solid innings, and Clarke Schmidt picked uprightly from there. It’s like the Yankees pitchers or on a comeback streak!

Clarke delivered 4 ²/₃ shutout innings on a pitch count to help send the Yankees to a 2-0 win over the Cubs on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. And guess what? He scattered four hits, one walk, and struck out two, all within 75 pitches. This stellar outing helped the Yankees reclaim the top spot in the AL East, sneaking half a game ahead of the Orioles. However, the excitement is not over yet, as the Yankees still have one more showdown with the Cubs.

The two teams will meet for the series finale on Sunday, with the Yankees hoping to consolidate their slender lead over AL East rivals the Baltimore Orioles by sweeping the Cubs (72-70) on Sunday with Gerrit Cole on the mound. It would be one interesting match to see, perfect for the weekend. Another exciting thing to see would be, will Aaron Boone work out a way to turn the Yankees’ lineup into a 6-man rotation. Or will Nestor Cortes have to make do with the bullpen role from now on? What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.