New Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Nestor Cortes exited Saturday’s game with cheers from fans at Yankee Stadium in his return playing his former team.
They were thanking him for his performance against their team today in his first start of the season.
Brewers fans weren’t doing any cheering.
Cortes was making his debut for the Brewers after being acquired in a trade with the Yankees for All-Star closer Devin Williams. It went about as bad as it could for Cortes.
First pitch to lead-off batter Paul Goldschmidt, home run. First pitch to second batter Cody Bellinger, home run. First pitch to third batter Aaron Judge, home run.
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His first three pitches of his Brewers career were socked for home runs. Austin Wells added another solo home run in the first inning. It was the second straight game that the Brewers’ starting pitcher has given up a lead-off home run to the Yankees, who led MLB in homers in 2024.
It didn’t get any better in the second inning, either. After the Brewers cut into the lead at 4-3, Anthony Volpe continued the Yankees’ home run barrage with a three-run shot.
Cortes lasted just one more batter in the third inning after allowing a walk. His final stat line: eight earned runs, six hits, five of which were home runs, and five walks.
Newcomer Connor Thomas relieved him. And it was just as bad. In his MLB debut, he also allowed eight runs on six hits and three more home runs in two innings. The score was 16-4 when his time was up after the fourth inning.
Two of the three long balls he surrendered were to Judge, who has a home run hat trick with a solo home run, a grand slam and two-run homer on his stat line. Judge is the reigning AL MVP and home run champ after belting 58 long balls in 2024.
The eight home runs by the Yankees through four innings have already tied a franchise record. And they set the franchise mark in the seventh inning on Oswald Peraza’s two-run home run to make it 20-6. The Yankees have 16 hits through seven innings and nine of them are home runs.
Social media had a lot to say about this one. Here’s a sample from the Yankees and Brewers sides.
Yankees’ home runs vs Brewers: Three home runs to begin game off Nestor Cortes
Yankees home runs: Russell Wilson, social media reacts
Former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson, who now plays for the New York Giants, took notice of the Yankees’ incredible showing on Saturday.
Hey, the game looks like a football score today with the Yankees putting up a 20-spot.
Watch Aaron Judge’s home runs
Sam Dekker, Brewers fans concerned about Brewers
The Brewers starting pitchers have now allowed seven home runs to Yankees hitters in the first two games. And the Yankees have hit 11 total off Brewers pitchers.
