The New York Yankees are poised for a showdown against the Pittsburgh Pirates vs yankees today, September 27, 2024, at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Carlos Rodon is set to take the mound for the Yankees, while Jared Jones will be on the hill for the Pirates.
As the Yankees have already secured the American League East title, here’s how fans can catch the action:
Viewing Options:
- What: Pirates vs Yankees
- When: September 27, 2024
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Yankee Stadium
- TV Broadcast: YES Network (for viewers in the New York area), SportsNet-Pit (for those in Pittsburgh)
- Channel Finders: Available on Verizon Fios, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DIRECTV, Dish, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling.
- Live Streaming: Free trials available through DirecTV Stream and fuboTV.
In a concerning development for the Yankees, left-hander Nestor Cortes has been diagnosed with a flexor strain in his pitching elbow, leading to his placement on the 15-day injured list. This is a significant setback for New York as they head into the playoffs.
Despite the grim news, the Yankees remain hopeful about Cortes’ potential return during the postseason, although that prospect seems increasingly uncertain. Manager Aaron Boone expressed cautious optimism: “I don’t know if optimistic. I mean, we’re not ruling it out yet,” he noted.
Cortes was slated to pitch against the Baltimore Orioles last night but was replaced by Marcus Stroman, who had recently transitioned to the bullpen for the last two weeks of the regular season. Boone praised Stroman’s readiness: “He’s ready to go. I think excited to get the ball. He’s been great through all of this… So, hopefully, he can go out and set us up tonight.”
Cortes, who holds a record of 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA, underwent an MRI earlier this week, which revealed no tears or significant damage to his UCL. He explained his recent discomfort: “I’ve been dealing with some tenderness for a few weeks… The ligament looks good… But (the) UCL is not torn, or there’s no damage to it. So that’s kind of good news.”
The timeline for his recovery remains ambiguous, with Cortes stating, “I don’t know what the timetable looks like… but I know with rest people get better.”
Cortes had been anticipated as the Yankees’ third starter for the postseason behind Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón. Boone commented on the situation, saying, “Certainly feel for him right now… Just have to pick up the slack there and support him right now.”
Cortes had been in exceptional form, boasting a 4-0 record and a minuscule 1.58 ERA over his last seven appearances. Boone lamented, “That’s one of the things that stinks about this, too, is just how well he’s throwing the baseball right now.”
With a wild-card berth already secured, the Yankees are only one victory away from clinching the division title. Should they accomplish this feat, they will commence a best-of-five Division Series at home on October 5.
As the Yankees navigate this injury challenge, Stroman, rookie Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt emerge as potential starters for a possible Game 3. The scheduling allows for strategic maneuvering, likely requiring only three starters in that series.
Cortes remains determined, stating, “Definitely the mentality and the way I’m going to go about it is try and come back… Obviously, my main focus is to be able to come back and help this team.”
Additionally, the Yankees have recalled right-hander Cody Poteet from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, adding depth to the bullpen for tonight’s game.
