Yankees, Cubs, Astros all buyers at MLB trade deadline
USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale breaks down the biggest buyers and sellers in the final hours of the MLB trade deadline.
Sports Pulse
Nestor Cortes ended up not delivering much for the Milwaukee Brewers on the field in 2025.
For that, the pitcher says he apologizes while delivering a classy goodbye to the franchise on his way out.
“Milwaukee was short lived but wow what a group of gritty players and blue collar organization,” Cortes wrote on Instagram Aug. 1 after he was sent to the San Diego Padres in a trade deadline move. “Sorry I couldn’t give you guys more.”
Cortes, acquired by the Brewers from the New York Yankees in the Devin Williams trade in the offseason, pitched in just two games for the Brewers.
His first start was a disaster in the team’s second game of the season on March 29, a 20-9 Brewers loss to the New York Yankees. In his return to Yankee Stadium against his former club, he was roughed up in allowing eight runs, five home runs and five walks in two innings.
He bounced back with a brilliant second start on April 3 by pitching six-shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1-0 win for the Brewers. Cortes had six strikeouts and surrendered just one hit.
Cortes, however, would not pitch again for the Brewers.
He was put on the injured list with inflammation in his elbow after that game.
Cortes, though, was working his way back with his rehab assignment set to expire on Aug. 1. But while he was out, other players like Jacob Misiorowski and Quinn Priester arrived on the scene and established themselves as rotation regulars, plus the team saw the successful return of Brandon Woodruff.
Without room for Cortes, the Brewers decided to part ways with the 30-year-old and add to their outfield depth when they acquired outfielder Brandon Lockridge from the Padres. Lockridge, 28, has quickly filled a need in the Brewers outfield with the injuries to Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick.
Meanwhile, Cortes joins a Padres team that was one of the most aggressive at the trade deadline. It added eight players and shipped out 14 total across all their moves as it looks to make a deep postseason run.
The Padres are squarely in the National League playoff picture, sitting as the third and final wild card team and still within striking distance of the Los Angeles Dodgers for top spot in the NL West.
“Let’s go San Diego,” Cortes said. “Excited for this opportunity to play for this great organization that went nuts at the deadline. I hope I’m just a stepping stone to what this city deserves.”