{
  "id": 1996656,
  "title": "Philadelphia Phillies add to pitching depth with rare August signing",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/philadelphia-phillies-add-to-pitching-depth-with-rare-august-signing",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T18:54:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/philadelphia-phillies-add-pitching-depth-185422732.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sixteen days after the Philadelphia Phillies' trade deadline, the team bolstered their pitching staff by solidifying a deal for left-hander Nestor Cortes on August 19. The 31-year-old pitcher, who has been sidelined since September 3, 2025 following a biceps tear surgery, joined the team with a major-league contract.\n\nCortes, a former Yankees left-hander, is known for his distinctive delivery, often standing with his right leg raised during his wind-up. His career ERA stands at 3.94 over eight seasons, with his best season coming in 2022 when he posted a 2.44 ERA over 158 ⅓ innings for the Yankees, earning an All-Star Game appearance. Last year, Cortes registered a 6.29 ERA in eight starts with the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres.\n\nAs of now, it remains uncertain how Cortes will fit into the Phillies' rotation during the remaining month and a half of the season. The team has been grappling with starting pitching depth, frequently utilizing bullpen games to fill the fifth spot. In mid-July, they recalled Andrew Painter to serve as the fifth starter, posting a commendable performance with a 3.77 ERA in 31 appearances (30 starts) for the Yankees in 2024.\n\nShould an injury befall the rotation, Cortes is likely to be the first option in the rotation, replacing minor-leaguers Alan Rangel and Brian Keller. In the meantime, he could serve as a middle reliever or a sixth starter to alleviate pressure on the rotation during the playoffs. Following the signing, the Phillies added Walker Buehler, who started twice in the final games of the season.",
  "summary": "The Phillies have struggled to fill the fifth spot in their rotation throughout the season.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}