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Brewers get great pitching update amid scary NL rise

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Jedd Pagaduan | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 4:18 AM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers always land on their feet. Even with the roster churn year after year, they find a way to compete for the NL Central crown. And their surge over the past few months have brought them all the way up to the NL Central lead, as they currently own a one-game cushion over the Chicago Cubs. But things may get better for the Brewers yet, especially when they received an incredible injury update for offseason acquisition Nestor Cortes.

Cortes was the piece the Brewers acquired in the trade that sent Devin Williams, their All-Star closer, to the New York Yankees. While Williams hasn’t been at his best in New York, Cortes has pitched in only two games for his new ballclub — hardly making this trade a huge win for the Brewers. But they will have roster decisions to make soon.

The former All-Star lefty recently made his fourth rehab start for the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate in Nashville and threw 93 pitches, as per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Cortes allowed just two runs (one earned) in 5.2 innings of work, striking out nine batters while giving a free pas just once.

Nestor Cortes threw 93 pitches tonight for Triple-A Nashville in his fourth rehab start. Two runs (one earned) over 5.2 innings with four hits, one walk and nine strikeouts in the Sounds’ 2-0 loss. Getting close to decision time for the Brewers.
pic.twitter.com/MnLekqDzZd

— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) July 25, 2025

At present, the Brewers already have an established starting rotation that they may not want to mess with while it’s working. Freddy Peralta and Jose Quintana have been consistent atop their rotation, with the former sporting a 2.85 ERA across 21 starts (116.2 innings). Quintana hasn’t been as good as Peralta, but a 3.49 ERA in 14 starts (77.1 innings) is nothing to scoff at from the 36-year-old lefty.

But it’s the rest of the Brewers’ rotation that is rounding into shape. Brandon Woodruff is back from injury and is better than ever, Jacob Misiorowski has been brilliant for the first six starts of his career, and and it’s difficult to remove Quinn Priester from the rotation considering how well he’s been pitching this season.

Perhaps Cortes is bound for a bullpen role in his return.

Brewers’ pitching corps set to get Nestor Cortes back from injury

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) pitches in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

With a return to the rotation unlikely (or perhaps the Brewers make room, turning it into a six-man rotation for the meantime?), Cortes may be slated for the bullpen. This should at least help him get back to game speed on the Major League-level.

Cortes could be a long reliever for Milwaukee. That seems to be the role he’s best suited for, especially when the Brewers’ lefties off the bullpen (DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, and Jared Koenig) have been doing their jobs quite well.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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