“I kept texting him like, ‘Dude, you gotta be yourself when you come here’” - New York Yankees cult hero pitcher defied all odds to play in the MLB

Baseball is a game where there is no "correct" way to play the game. Just ask New York Yankees southpaw Nestor Cortes. Cortes has found himself in the midst of the most successful season of his career. He's only allowed two runs through nearly 16 innings while striking out 25 batters.

"Nothin but filth" -@Yankees

But what possessed Cortes to suddenly start getting hitters out after allowing 43 runs over the previous 100 innings? It was the expert and sage advice of a minor league catcher. Cortes's battery mate in AA Kyle Higashioka, encouraged Cortes to embrace the quirks that made him so appealing to the Yankees in the first place.

“I kept texting him like, ‘Dude, you gotta be yourself when you come here,'” Higashioka remembers.

New York Yankees left handed specialist Nestor Cortes is on his way to establishing himself as one of the best relievers in Major League Baseball

Cortes has been a major part of the New York Yankees success this season

This is Cortes's third stint with the Yankees. After being drafted in 36th round of the 2013 draft, Cortes spent six years on various minor league pitching staffs for New York. He was then selected in the Rule Five draft by the Baltimore Orioles where he got the chance to achieve his dream of reaching the Majors.

Cortes was hit hard by opponents and found himself back with the Yankees the following season where he was also shelled by opposing hitters. After a miserable season with the Seattle Mariners, Cortes returned to the Bronx and the third time has been the charm for the lefty reliever. He's found a great deal of success in the 2021 and 2022 campaigns.

"The hustle from Nestor Cortes...100"- Fox Sports: MLB

The key to Cortes's redemption has been his embracing the quirks of his pitching mechanics. It's quite common for pitchers from the island of Cuba to exhibit unique and unorthodox deliveries. Boston Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant would turn his back to the hitter as part of his windup. Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez would kick his leg so high he would tuck his head behind it.

Cortes would love to follow in the footsteps of his countryman Hernandez who is hailed as one of the greatest pitchers in MLB playoff history. For now, Cortes will stay true to himself and continue to get hitters out.