Nestor Cortes on Yankee Stadium return: ‘Didn’t go the way I planned’

NEW YORK — Brewers pitcher Nestor Cortes had a return to Yankee Stadium to forget on Saturday.

A day later, Cortes reflected on allowing five of the Yankees’ team-record nine homers and lasting two-plus innings in a 20-9 loss.

“It’s not a good feeling,” Cortes said. “So obviously didn’t go the way I planned.”

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Cortes left the ballpark after the game without speaking to reporters in what the Brewers said was a miscommunication. He was at his locker about two hours before Sunday’s series finale.

Cortes gave up homers on his first three pitches to Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge. He also allowed homers to Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe and was pulled after throwing 64 pitches.

The Brewers acquired Cortes on Dec. 13 from the Yankees for former closer Devin Williams, who is eligible for free agency. The left-hander, who became a fan favorite for his unique leg kicks, sported platinum blond hair and got a nice reception from the crowd in baseline introductions on Thursday.

“Obviously I spent a few years over there, and I was able to be on their side and not have to face them, but I think this comes with the territory of being a major league pitcher,” Cortes said. “You never know where you’re going to end up and at some point, you’re going to face somebody you know or somebody that’s close to you and it just happened to be yesterday.”

A 36th-round pick of the Yankees in 2013, Cortes went 33-21 with a 3.80 ERA in 86 starts and 49 relief appearances over seven seasons with the Yankees, Orioles and Mariners. He is eligible for arbitration and also can become a free agent after next season.

An All-Star in 2022, Cortes was 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA in 31 appearances and 30 starts last season. He missed the final month of the regular season with a flexor strain in his pitching elbow, missed the AL Division Series and League Championship Series and allowed Freddie Freeman’s game-ending grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series in Los Angeles.

After allowing the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history, Cortes stood at his locker stall for several minutes answering numerous questions.