The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the strongest rosters in Major League Baseball. If there was one question, it would be the team’s fifth starter, Taijaun Walker.
He has struggled a lot in his career with the Phillies, particularly this season, when his 9. 31 ERA in two outings, one against the Washington Nationals and another against the Colorado Rockies, has been a major issue.
With the Phillies secretly needing more rotation help, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report proposed Nestor Cortez, a former New York Yankees and San Diego Padres starting pitcher who is now a free agent, as a Walker replacement.
Phillies are linked to Nestor Cortez as Walker’s successor.
Other landing spots: Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies; Rymer writes about Cortez’s destination this season.
He is a free agent who is only a few weeks into the regular season and may be seeking for a new contract to join an MLB team this season.
The 31-year-old left-handed starter could be a short-term replacement for Walker, who is suffering too much for the Phillies to keep with him moving forward.
Cortez pitched poorly last season, recording a 6. 29 ERA in eight starts for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres.
However, Cortez was fairly successful for the Yankees in 2024, with a 3. 77 ERA in 30 starts (31 games), a 9-10 record, and a 2. 4 bWAR.
While Cortez is not a must-have for the Phillies’ rotation, with Zack Wheeler expected to return soon, he might be a preferable sixth starting pitcher alternative to Walker.
If nothing else, it would give the Phillies another left-handed starting pitching option in addition to Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo. All of their other starters, Aaron Nola, Andrew Painter, Walker, and Wheeler, are right-handed.
Rymer listed the Phillies as one of Cortez’s potential destinations this season, but believes the Padres would be the finest. The Phillies would benefit from signing Cortez, since he might serve as a good Walker replacement or a depth starter.
