WATCH: Nestor Cortes Jr. gets called off the mound by umpire Laz Diaz for quick pitch
The New York Yankees kicked off a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday night, with Nestor Cortes Jr. taking the mound for the Yanks in Game 1. Cortes Jr. pitched exceptionally throughout the game in front of the home crowd at Yankee Stadium as he threw seven scoreless innings to set the tone for the Bronx Bombers, who won the contest 4-2.
While Nestor Cortes Jr.'s pitching prowess was on full display, one particular moment in the top of the sixth, with two outs and a 1-2 count on the batter, caught everyone's attention, especially from home plate umpire Laz Diaz. Cortes Jr. threw a quick pitch unexpectedly, bypassing his usual pitching routine on the mound, prompting umpire Diaz to immediately call off the pitch.
Take a look at the incident here:
As the confrontation began between the home plate umpire and Cortes Jr., Yankees manager Aaron Boone rushed to the scene to calm the pitcher down, who then retrieved the ball from catcher Austin Wells while Diaz explained his decision to Boone. The game resumed shortly after this brief one-minute incident.
Nestor Cortes Jr. has been highly efficient in his third stint for the Yankees since he started playing for them in 2021. The 29-year-old Cuban signed a one-year, $3.95 million to avoid arbitration and is set to hit free agency in 2026.
Nestor Cortes Jr. has had a difficult start to his 2024 campaign with the Yankees
Nestor Cortes Jr. earned his second win of the campaign on Friday night, improving his season record to 2-4 for the Yankees. This season, he has found trouble raking in wins on the mound, with an ERA of 3.56, 57 strikeouts and 1.05 WHIP.
The NY Yankees lost six of the last ten games in which the pitcher started, including their previous loss against the TB Rays, during which he gave up four runs on five hits over 5.1 innings. Tonight, however, he showcased his dominance on the mound and did not give up any runs on five hits and struck out six batters in seven innings to rake in a win for the Bronx Bombers.
Cortes Jr. is set to make his next start against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.