Former Yankees All-Star Set To Begin Rehab Assignment For Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff is on the verge of a significant boost.

A key acquisition from the offseason is making strides toward rejoining the rotation.

The left-hander, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the New York Yankees, has been sidelined since early April but is now progressing in his recovery.

In December 2024, the Brewers traded closer Devin Williams to the Yankees for starter Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. The move was seen as a strategic effort to bolster Milwaukee’s rotation, which had been hit hard by injuries to key arms like Brandon Woodruff.

Cortes, a 2022 All-Star, brought a proven track record, having posted a 3.77 ERA over a career-high 174 1/3 innings in 2024 with the Yankees.

However, his 2025 season with Milwaukee got off to a rocky start. In his Brewers debut against his former team, Cortes struggled, allowing five home runs in a 20-9 loss at Yankee Stadium. Shortly after, a left elbow flexor strain landed him on the 15-day injured list, a recurrence of an injury that had previously sidelined him in 2024.

Cortes has built a reputation for defying expectations. Despite a modest 92 mph fastball, his crafty pitching style and varied arm angles have made him effective through the years. Over seven Major League Baseball seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and now Brewers, he holds a 34-22 record with a 3.88 ERA. His resilience was evident in 2024 when he returned from injury to pitch in the World Series, though he allowed a memorable walk-off grand slam to Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman.

Now, there’s optimism surrounding Cortes's recovery in 2025. According to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, “Brewers lefty Nestor Cortes threw two simulated innings today and expects to begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday in Nashville.”

Could Cortes be pitching at American Family Field by mid-July, possibly post-All-Star break?