LOS ANGELES — Nestor Cortes is risking his health for a shot at Yankees glory.
In doing so, Jon Berti has become the surprise roster victim.
Cortes has been added to the World Series roster and Berti left off, a swap the Yankees announced before the Fall Classic began at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.
Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) throws a pitch during the first inning at Yankee Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTThe lefty has not pitched in a major league league game since Sept. 18, after which he was diagnosed with a left flexor strain — which can be a precursor to Tommy John surgery.
Cortes was shut down, rehabbed the injury and graduated to the level of a 28-pitch sim game Tuesday.
He is not built up as a starter, but suddenly the Yankees have another good lefty with October experience against a lineup with Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.
They hope Cortes’ decision will not come at a cost.
Yankees first baseman Jon Berti (19) tosses to first during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con“We have weighed in the consequences that this can lead up to, but if I have a ring and then a year off of baseball, so be it,” Cortes said this week.
The decision at least had a cost to the 26-man roster.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Yankees in the postseason:
- https://nypost.com/2024/10/29/sports/yankees-crumbling-in-world-series-is-raising-uncomfortable-questions/https://nypost.com/2024/10/29/sports/anthony-volpe-leads-world-series-outburst-as-yankees-keep-season-alive/Yankees’ season ends in heartbreak as they choke away Game 5 of World Series
- https://nypost.com/2024/10/28/sports/yankees-gerrit-cole-hesitance-lands-luis-gil-game-4-start/https://nypost.com/2024/10/29/sports/luis-gils-first-world-series-outing-was-just-enough-for-the-yankees/Aaron Judge’s crucial mistake erased breakout World Series moment
- https://nypost.com/2024/10/29/sports/dodgers-making-easy-work-of-exposed-yankees-as-world-series-is-all-but-over/https://nypost.com/2024/10/29/sports/the-yankees-finally-showed-some-signs-to-believe-in/Yankees’ Austin Wells hit with catcher’s interference call in brutal World Series moment
- https://nypost.com/2024/10/30/sports/the-yankees-were-at-rock-bottom-before-anthony-volpes-heroics/Juan Soto’s season ends with million-dollar questions with Yankees future now murky
The righty-swinging Berti received three spot starts at first base against Kansas City and Cleveland generally against lefty pitching, with the Yankees shielding Anthony Rizzo from opposing southpaws.
The Dodgers do not have a lefty starter, and the Yankees will use switch-hitting Oswaldo Cabrera as the backup infielder for the World Series.
Berti also would have been an effective pinch-runner, but perhaps Cabrera, Jasson Dominguez or Trent Grisham could be used in that role.
There was some speculation that Grisham — who was on the ALDS and ALCS rosters but has not yet appeared in a game — would be held off the roster, but perhaps the Yankees value his potential late-game defense.
The Yankees are carrying 13 position players and 13 pitchers, electing to keep lefty Tim Mayza, long-man Marcus Stroman and righty Mark Leiter Jr. (who replaced Ian Hamilton during the ALCS) around.
