Nestor Cortes returns to Yankees World Series despite injury risk
- Nestor Cortes returned to pitch in the World Series after recovering from an elbow injury, despite not being fully healed.
- In Game 1, he allowed a grand slam to Freddie Freeman in the 10th inning, which resulted in a 6-3 loss for the Yankees.
- Cortes remains optimistic about his ability to perform better in future games of the series.
The World Series took place at Dodger Stadium in October 2023, where Nestor Cortes pitched for the Yankees after returning from an elbow injury. His decision to play, despite not being fully healed, was driven by a desire to secure a championship ring, even at the cost of worsening his condition. In Game 1, he faced the challenging top of the Dodgers' lineup in the 10th inning but struggled with his pitching. After missing a critical pitch to Freddie Freeman, who hit a grand slam, the Yankees lost the game 6-3. Manager Aaron Boone defended his choice to bring in Cortes, citing the lefty-on-lefty matchup with Freeman as a key strategy. Despite Cortes' disappointing performance, he expressed optimism about improving and competing further in the series, revealing uncertainty about his pitching capacity moving forward due to the ongoing injury. He remains hopeful about recovering his form and contributing to the team's success in the remaining games.