Every season, there are players who fight their way back from doubt—proving the critics wrong, grinding through the off-season, and earning their place on the roster. But baseball can be cruelly timed. Just when it looked like the Brewers were finally settling in, a major off-field twist has fans and front office alike on edge. After spending big and expecting big results, the team now faces unexpected concerns over $7.6M player.

Things were finally looking up for Nestor Cortes and the Brewers, he hit a roadblock. It is being reported that he has been sidelined after suffering a flexor strain. Cortes, of course, would have felt bad, but there is one other person who feels bad for him. A former Padre, Eric Hosmer also feels bad for Nestor Cortes.

In his recent X post, Hosmer said, “Hate it for Nestor. Respect his grind and how he fought to get back on the roster last year. Hope it’s not serious.” This injury comes right after his stellar performance against the Cincinnati Reds where he gave away just one hit.

This emotion by Eric Hosmer is genuine because he knows what it is to be out injured when you are performing well. In 2014 when he suffered from a stress fracture, it affected his game big time. Even though he was able to put up some solid numbers, it could have been much better. The same happened in 2020 when he suffered a broken finger while bunting and that impacted his game, but he was still able to perform very well.

Hosmer’s empathy isn’t just lip service—it’s the battle-scarred wisdom of someone who’s been through the meat grinder himself. And while Cortes hopes to dodge the worst-case scenario, the Padres might want to start stress-testing their investment strategy. After all, when your $7.6M star is wrapped in ice packs instead of glory, even the most loyal fans start checking return policies.

Nestor Cortes’ comeback for Brewers vs the Reds

Baseball has a funny way of flipping scripts. One day you’re a trivia question, the next you’re rewriting the narrative with a vengeance. The mound can be cruel, but it also rewards the defiant. On a night that demanded answers, only one pitcher had them all. Among those who delivered: Nestor Cortes—once the punchline, now the punctuation mark.

After the beating the Yankees gave him, everybody expected Nestor Cortes to have downtime for a few games, but that is not the case. Cortes against the Reds came in so clutch that he almost single-handedly won the game for the Brewers.

Cortes pitched for a total of 6 innings took only 1 hit and walked 2 batters. In the 18 outs, he struck out 6 batters and ended his day. After the game, Cortes said, “I think as a starter you’ve got 30-32 of these, and there’s going to be a lot of bad ones along the way, and you just have to learn how to brush them off, and go to the next one.” 

And just like that, the man once written off became the headline—again. Nestor Cortes proved he could bounce back with brilliance, but just as quickly, the injury bug crept in, threatening to undo it all. For the Brewers, it’s a gut punch. But if Cortes’s comeback taught us anything, it’s that he won’t stay down for long. The Brewers may have to wait, but when he’s back, expect more fire—and fewer questions.