Phillies signing ex-Yankees All-Star amid playoff race

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Phillies signing ex-Yankees All-Star amid playoff race

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Aug 19, 2026 12:36 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies are bringing in some starting pitching help just in time for the playoff push.

The Phillies and former New York Yankees All-Star Nestor Cortes agreed to a one-year deal on Wednesday, according to Robert Murray of Fansided.

Cortes underwent surgery on his throwing arm, but he has been working hard to get back and had drawn interest from other teams before signing with Philadelphia.

Nestor Cortes Jr. grinding away in pursuit of his next shot pic.twitter.com/x4FvnCnepB
— Bet105 (@bet_105) August 18, 2026

Cortes’ most notably was with the Yankees from 2021 through 2024, and he was named an All-Star in 2022 after recording a 12-4 record with a 2.44 ERA.

Cortes was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers prior to the 2025 season in the deal that sent reliever Devin Williams to New York. Then, the Brewers traded Cortes to the San Diego Padres at last year’s deadline in exchange for Brandon Lockridge.

Cortes made just two starts with Milwaukee due to injuries, and he started six games in the regular season for San Diego, going 1-3 with a 5.47 ERA before suffering the injury.

The Phillies are currently one game ahead of the Padres for the second National League Wild Card spot, and Murray added that Cortes could make it a six-man rotation in Philadelphia to extend the starters and keep them fresh going into the postseason chase.

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