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Yankees Need to Keep Leaning on Nestor Cortes as His Strange Dominance Continues

By Sean Facey

Tampa Bay Rays v New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays v New York Yankees / Sarah Stier

The has been one constant throughout the Yankees' ups and downs on the pitching staff this year: Nestor Cortes.

Wait...what?

The Cuban-American southpaw has been as reliable as a metronome, and the Yankees absolutely need to keep leaning on him (and Chad Green at the start!) and his unexpected stretch of dominance.

On the year, Cortes has posted a 3.79 ERA across 19 innings of work. Over his last four appearances, he's allowed just two runs in 13 innings, good for a ridiculous 1.38 ERA.

He's been a breath of fresh air for New York's pitching staff this year, especially in recent weeks. The Yankees have posted a 5.73 ERA in June, and it would have been even higher if not for his work.

Cortes gives the Yankees flexibility. He can appear as a late-inning reliever in one game and then turn around and toss four or five quality innings in another. At a time of great need, he has been as dependable as possible.

And though Cortes' fastball speed is pedestrian (and we're being kind there), it's been nothing short of monstrously effective thus far.

So as the Yankees continue to right the ship, they'd be wise to use him as their rudder.

With Cortes pitching well, he can serve as a go-to guy in times of need. Seriously.