Nestor Cortes Jr. heroics, Gerrit Cole news make for encouraging night for Yankees

"When (Cortes Jr.) is healthy and going, I don't worry about his confidence. He knows he's good," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the media after Monday night's 7-0 victory.

Boone said Cortes Jr. made a commitment to what was necessary in order to become a better version of himself.

"He's now had extended success in this league as a starter, he just couldn't recover last year. Or he would have a decent start but run out of gas. So the biggest thing for him has been selling out and committing to the things he really needed to do, starting in the back half of last year."

Cortes Jr. was a key part of the Yankees rotation and one of the most fun pitchers in baseball in 2021 and 2022, making the All-Star game and recording a 2.44 ERA in his first season as an established starter in 2022. 

But injuries derailed his 2023 campaign, starting with a hamstring problem that forced him out of the World Baseball Classic and limited him to just 12 starts. 

Cole, the reigning Cy Young winner in the American League, scared all Yankee fans with the news he'd be shut down to have his elbow looked at.

Between this injury news and the uncertainty surrounding the effectiveness of Cortes Jr. and fellow starter Carlos Rodon, many wanted General Manager Brian Cashman to acquire another high-end arm. 

He didn't, but the early returns on the rotation have been solid. 

Marcus Stroman has been brilliant in his first two starts as a Yankee, while Carlos Rodón looks much more like the pitcher New York signed to a $162M contract in 2023. 

Luis Gil also answered the bell after being named the fifth starter on March 24, with a 3.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts in nine innings across two starts. 

With Cortes Jr. finally showing the dominant form that got him Cy Young votes in 2022 and Cole making progress in his rehab, the red-hot Yankees rotation seems capable of holding down the fort until Cole's expected June return.