Nestor Cortes Jr. became a fan favorite in New York for a couple of reasons. He became a valuable mid-rotation seemingly out of nowhere, and he was extremely fun to watch. With that being said, New York Yankees fans understood the team trading him to the Milwaukee Brewers last offseason in the deal that sent Devin Williams to the Bronx. Williams has had his share of struggles since the deal was made, but Cortes' stock has nosedived in the wrong direction.
The Brewers acquired Cortes, hoping he'd be a staple in the middle of their rotation as he was for several years in the Bronx. With Corbin Burnes long gone and Brandon Woodruff still injured, talent in their rotation was subpar.
Ultimately, though, Cortes' stock has dipped even more than Williams' as of now.
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Nestor Cortes' stock has collapsed with the Brewers
Ironically enough, Cortes' Brewers debut came at Yankee Stadium against his former team. Of course, the first three pitches he threw were deposited over the fence. The Yankees jumped all over him, hitting five home runs and scoring eight runs in his two innings of work. He also issued five walks.
His second start was brilliant as he shut the Cincinnati Reds out over six innings, but after that outing, he landed on the IL with a left elbow flexor strain. He's currently on the 60-day IL, and it's anyone's guess as to when he'll return and how good he'll look.
Cortes is in his final year of club control, so the Brewers got him to contribute for them this season. Having to watch him miss a large portion of it after pitching as poorly as he did in his debut with the team is a tough blow, even with Williams not exactly at his best in the Bronx.
To be completely honest, the Cortes that Yankees fans fell in love with could have been a very useful piece for both teams, given the state of their rotations. All Brewers fans can hope is that he'll be back and his usual self sometime in the not-too-distant future as they try and keep pace with the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.