Padres' pitching shake up leaves starter as roster casualty

Let Dennis Eckersley be the example, but first some clarity. No, we are not comparing newly acquired pitcher Nestor Cortes to the Hall of Famer in Eckersley for any other reason than to show what is possible. Out of everyone dealing at the trade deadline, Padres President of Baseball Operations AJ Preller believed in what was possible by taking a chance on the lefty who made one bad pitch in the fall classic, and not enough pitches in Milwaukee.

We all know that Eck faced an injured Kirk Gibson in the '88 fall classic. And we all know how that at-bat ended. Yet we also should remember that Eck returned in '89 as focused as ever, helping the A's win the World Series. For Cortes, who was a scapegoat for the Yankees' fall in the 2024 World Series, and who only pitched two games for the Brewers in 2025, a fresh start begins now.

Preller, Padres are hopeful that Nestor Cortes can revamp his career in San Diego

Padres fans can accept Preller's hunch for doubling down on players, but to do it at the cost of mainstay starting pitcher Randy Vásquez is another matter altogether. Vásquez improved his ERA for the Padres this year from 4.87 in 2024 to 3.93 in 2025. Still, it seems his lowered ERA wasn't enough to justify a losing record of 3-5 in 22 starts as Vásquez was optioned to Triple-A this week.

Enter Nestor, who for his career holds a 34-22 record. Ideally, an open roster spot would've been reserved for Cortes, but Dylan Cease, who everyone expected to be dealt at the trade deadline, remained with the Friars and received high praise from Preller then subsequently rewarded him with a dynamic outing on Sunday.

If Cortes will be the difference maker the Padres expect, he'll need to exorcise the demons, especially when thrust upon the mound at Dodgers Stadium. The Padres still have six games against their division rival and if Cortes pitches, the narrative will already be in place.

Nevertheless, just as Preller has peppered the bottom of the Padres' lineup with capable, competitive, and fresh bats, he thought the same for the rotation, adding new arms at will. Hopefully for Friars fans, Cortes can justify Preller's vision.