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

New York Yankees Welcome Back Nestor Cortés With Historic Home Run Parade

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Sam Connon | Last updated Mar 29, 2025 2:08 PM ET

The last time Nestor Cortés Jr. took the mound in a game that counted, he cost the New York Yankees a win in Game 1 of the World Series.

Now a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, Cortés didn't get the warmest welcome when he returned to the Bronx on Saturday.

First baseman Paul Goldschmidt crushed Cortés' first pitch of the afternoon 413 feet to left-center for a leadoff home run. The very next pitch, Cody Bellinger took Cortés deep to right-center.

Neither Goldschmidt nor Bellinger were on the Yankees when they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last year. Aaron Judge was, though, and he followed up Goldschmidt and Bellinger's bombs with a first-pitch shot of his own.

Three home runs on three pitches made it 3-0 New York in the blink of an eye.

The back-to-back-to-back home runs for the Yankees, setting a team record in the process. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, it marked the first time in franchise history that the Yankees hit three consecutive homers to open a game.

This is the first time in franchise history the Yankees have hit three straight homers to start a game https://t.co/fVxL9SUcsO
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 29, 2025

Cortés got back on track, recording two outs in a row.

That's when catcher Austin Wells restarted the onslaught, crushing another home run to left-center. That made it the first time in Yankees history that they hit four home runs in the first inning of a game, per Langs.

This is the first time in Yankees history they have hit 4 home runs in the 1st inning of a game https://t.co/xNnkdo3j7H
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 29, 2025

Cortés walked the next two batters he faced before escaping the jam. With two out in the second, however, shortstop Anthony Volpe pulled a 349-foot, three-run home run to left.

The veteran left-hander spent five seasons with the Yankees, making an All-Star appearance in 2022. Still, the lasting image of Cortés in pinstripes will almost assuredly be the walk-off home run he gave up to Freddie Freeman in the Fall Classic.

Mashing Cortés for five home runs may be the Yankees' best chance of exorcising those demons, even if a regular season game in March isn't quite on the level of a World Series opener.

New York currently leads Milwaukee 7-3 in the third.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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