The Brewers introduced that left-hander Nestor Cortes has been positioned on the 15-day injured checklist because of a flexor pressure in his throwing elbow. Southpaw Grant Wolfram was known as up from Triple-A to take Cortes’ spot on the energetic roster.
That is now the second time in eight months {that a} flexor pressure has despatched Cortes to the IL, as an identical harm sidelined him final September when Cortes was nonetheless pitching with the Yankees. He was capable of make it again for 2 appearances within the World Sequence, together with his notorious reduction outing in Recreation 1 that noticed Cortes enable Freddie Freeman’s walkoff grand slam.
Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine instructed reporters (together with Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) that Cortes was feeling some elbow discomfort main as much as his final begin, although Cortes nonetheless delivered six innings of shutout ball in opposition to the Reds on April 3. Kleine doesn’t assume the flexor pressure is a “long-term challenge,” and Cortes himself instructed Hogg and firm that his concern degree is “fairly low.” A earlier spherical of scans cleared Cortes to pitch three days in the past, however Cortes stated he’ll search out a second opinion simply out of due diligence.
Cortes is now the seventh beginning pitcher on Milwaukee’s absurdly crowded injured checklist, because the Brewers have already nearly reached crucial mass for pitching well being simply over every week into the season. Tobias Myers and Aaron Ashby each sustained indirect strains throughout Spring Coaching, Aaron Civale made one regular-season begin earlier than a hamstring pressure despatched him to the IL, and Brandon Woodruff began the season on the 15-day IL as he continues his prolonged restoration from a shoulder surgical procedure. In different longer-term absences, DL Corridor is on the 60-day IL after struggling a lat pressure this spring, and Robert Gasser is recovering from a Tommy John surgical procedure final June.
Freddy Peralta now stands as the one wholesome member of the Brewers’ projected rotation. Tyler Alexander, Elvin Rodriguez, and Chad Patrick (all swingmen or multi-inning reduction choices in a really perfect world) comprise the makeshift rotation behind Peralta, and Rule 5 Draft decide Connor Thomas would possibly now be known as upon to make a begin or two in Cortes’ absence, with Wolfram taking Thomas’ spot as a left-handed bullpen arm. The Brewers signed veteran Jose Quintana to supply extra rotation depth firstly of March, however he’s nonetheless increase his arm at Triple-A because of his late begin to Spring Coaching.
Cortes was acquired as a part of the most important commerce of the Brewers’ offseason, as Cortes, Caleb Durbin, and $2MM in money issues got here from the Yankees for Devin Williams again in December. Each Cortes and Williams are pending free brokers, however Milwaukee was capable of save slightly money in dealing its star nearer whereas additionally getting a brand new long-term infield piece and (in principle) a veteran arm to stabilize the rotation.
This harm to Cortes now presumably throws that plan out of whack, and the southpaw and the Brewers can solely hope that the pressure is as comparatively minor because it appears. Between his final regular-season recreation in 2024 and Recreation 1 of the World Sequence, Cortes missed about 5 weeks, which might characterize a fairly large chunk of the 2025 marketing campaign if he wants an identical restoration interval this time round.
Wolfram’s promotion can also be price noting, because the 28-year-old lefty is now on the verge of constructing his Main League debut. An 18th-round decide for the Rangers within the 2018 draft, Wolfram spent his complete profession within the Texas farm system earlier than inking a assured cope with Milwaukee final December, placing him onto a 40-man roster for the primary time. Wolfram had a 3.34 ERA, 25.6% strikeout charge, and 10.9% stroll charge over 56 2/3 innings with Triple-A Spherical Rock in 2024, and his first two Triple-A outings for the Brewers have resulted in a 6.00 ERA over three innings.
