The Philadelphia Phillies enter a homestand against the Houston Astros with more than just standings on their minds. After splitting a four-game set with the Atlanta Braves and closing that series with a 1-0 victory, the club sits at 81-63 and four games behind the division leaders.
Attention has also turned to the minor-league affiliates, where a veteran left-hander is taking another step toward a possible late-season contribution.
Nestor Cortes joined the organization in mid-August on a major-league contract and was immediately optioned to Single-A Clearwater. The former All-Star had not yet appeared in a Phillies uniform when the Threshers placed him on the seven-day injured list, retroactive to August 25.
That assignment kept him off the active roster while he worked through the setback that had already delayed his debut.
The latest word is that Cortes is scheduled to take the mound for Clearwater in a Florida State League playoff game, according to Phillies insider Ty Daubert.
The outing represents his first competitive work since the injury designation and offers the organization a live look at whether the left-hander can be stretched out and, eventually, considered for a September call-up. With the regular season winding down and October approaching, even a modest return from a pitcher with Cortes’s résumé could add depth to a staff that has already shown it can win low-scoring games.
Cortes has bounced around the majors for parts of eight seasons, wearing the uniforms of the Yankees, Orioles, Mariners, Brewers and Padres.
His most notable stretch came in New York, where he earned All-Star recognition and developed a reputation as a crafty, high-effort starter capable of missing bats with an unorthodox delivery.
That track record is precisely why Philadelphia was willing to add him to the 40-man roster and wait through the rehabilitation process.
Whether the upcoming start in the Florida State League playoffs leads to a promotion remains to be seen. The Phillies have other left-handed options working their way back as well, and the club will weigh performance, innings limits and the specific needs of a pennant race.
For now, the simple fact that Cortes is throwing in a meaningful game after weeks on the sidelines is the update fans have been waiting to hear.
If he can recapture even a portion of his earlier form, he could become a useful piece as the Phillies try to close the gap on Atlanta and secure home-field advantage in the postseason.
