Yankees Reunion With Brewers Starter Remains Possible, Per Insider

Will the Milwaukee Brewers hang onto Nestor Cortes past the Thursday trade deadline?

Cortes' season was derailed early on by a left flexor strain, and he's only made two starts since arriving in a trade with the New York Yankees. It would be hard to say the trade has flopped, though, since the Brewers appear to have found a starting position player in Caleb Durbin for ex-closer Devin Williams.

Now that Cortes is nearly ready to return from the injured list, though, he doesn't project to have a spot in the starting rotation. And one insider believes he could be on the move - right back to where he came from.

In a recent trade deadline preview, Joel Sherman of the New York Post said to "keep an eye on" Cortes as a target for the pitching-needy Yankees, who have been one of the worst teams in baseball over the past month and a half after a strong start.

"It is interesting that the Yankees need pitching and third base... it's exactly what they traded for Devin Williams," Sherman said.

That statement was made before the Yankees acquired Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies to shore up the third base spot, but as of early afternoon on Tuesday, they've yet to address the pitching staff in any meaningful way.

Meanwhile, Cortes is ready to go, with his earliest potential start date for the Brewers coming on Friday, which is supposed to be José Quintana's turn through the rotation. In other words, they can and will make their deadline decision without trotting Cortes out there for a big-league start.

"Let's keep an eye on Nestor Cortes, (who) made his fourth and probably last rehab start on Thursday night at Triple-A," Sherman said. "He's pitched very well on his four rehab starts... there were Brewer officials who are looking at this as much an audition for other teams as for the Brewers."

Cortes famously gave up the walk-off home run to Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman in his first pitching appearance in six weeks last year during the World Series. Would the Yankees take a shot with him coming off injury once more?