Phillies Sign Nestor Cortes

The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a major league contract with veteran left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes, adding experienced rotation depth ahead of the postseason. The deal was reported on August 19, 2026. Cortes, 31, is recovering from surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left elbow, which he underwent last October. His recovery timeline was estimated at nine to 10 months.

Cortes split the 2025 season between the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. He made eight starts for the two teams, his season limited by a left elbow flexor strain and later left biceps tendinitis. He became a free agent at the end of the year. Before his injury-shortened 2025 campaign, Cortes was a mainstay in the New York Yankees rotation, achieving an All-Star selection in 2022. His most recent full season was 2024, when he posted a 3.77 ERA over a career-high 174 1/3 innings for New York.

His acquisition addresses a need for the Phillies, who did not add a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. The team recently inserted former top prospect Andrew Painter into the rotation. Painter has shown promise since his recall in late July, though he allowed five earned runs in his most recent start...