NEW YORK — It surely wasn’t how Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. imagined his return to the Bronx.
The New York Yankees hit home runs on each of the first three pitches Cortes threw to them in the first inning of Saturday afternoon’s game at Yankee Stadium.
First, it was Paul Goldschmidt. Then it was Cody Bellinger. Then Aaron Judge.
It was the first time in team history that the Yankees hit four home runs in one inning. It was also the first time in Yankees history that each of their first three hitters hit home runs consecutively.
After the barrage, Brewers pitching coach Chris Hook visited with Cortes to give him a breather.
Two outs later, catcher Austin Wells made it four solo shots off Cortes, who doubled over briefly in disbelief at the power surge. It was the 16th pitch of the inning for Cortes.
With two runners on, a trainer came out to visit with Cortes, who seemed to assure the Brewers he was OK. He continued the inning.
Cortes finished the frame with 30 pitches, stranding two runners.
Cortes pitched parts of five seasons with the Yankees, including the last four in a row, and he was an All-Star in 2022. In the winter, the Yankees traded the fan-favorite Cortes to the Brewers in exchange for closer Devin Williams, who earned the save in the Yankees’ 4-2 win over the Brewers on Opening Day on Thursday.
Before the game, manager Aaron Boone was asked whether he thought the Yankees or Cortes would have the advantage in their matchup. The sides know each other so well.
“Hopefully it’s the hitters,” Boone said. “Tough to say. A lot of it comes down to execution. He’s a really good pitcher. If he’s executing, he’s going to make it tough.”
On Wednesday, Cortes bleached his hair in what he called “platinum with a hint of purple.” Cortes was facing off against the Yankees’ newest big-ticket item, lefty Max Fried, who took a $218-million, eight-year deal to join the pinstripes in the winter.
Boone said the Yankees still had nothing but love for Cortes just hours before New York began bludgeoning Cortes’ pitches.
“He became very popular for good reason,” the manager said. “A great story. I remember him kind of not being that big prospect, being that up and down guy but always impressed us, even in the early days, and then earned his way into the rotation and became an All-Star and is turning into having a really good career. But somebody that’s beloved by us and certainly our fan base. Hopefully we can make it tough on him today and we can go off can have a good season.”
(Photo: Wendell Cruz / Imagn Images)