Pitching depth has been part of the Phillies’ conversation since the beginning of spring training. Dave Dombrowski told reporters then that it was a “focus” on Feb. 9. It took until Aug. 19, and came after the Phillies did not acquire a starting pitcher at the trade deadline, but they ha ve reportedly added another arm. On Wednesday, Philadelphia signed former All-Star left-hander Nestor Cortes to a major league deal, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. It is a low-risk move to fortify the back end of their pitching staff. The Phillies have gotten better starts from the latter half of their rotation lately, with Aaron Nola improving and Andrew Painter showing signs of progress. But Cortes gives them another experienced arm who could potentially work as a swingman between the rotation and bullpen. That bridge has been a priority. Cortes has not thrown a pitch in a professional game in 2026. He has recently been throwing in front of scouts, though. Last October, he underwent surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon in his left throwing arm. That followed an injury-halted season in Milwaukee and San Diego, where he made just eight starts, posted a 6.29 ERA and allowed 13 home runs in 34.1 innings. That followed Cortes giving up Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series after not having thrown a pitch in 37 days. But before that October, Cortes had been one of the better left-handers in baseball. From 2021, his first season as a full-time starter, through 2024 with the Yankees, Cortes posted a 3.33 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and .657 opponents’ OPS. Among left-handed starters with at least 80 starts in that span, his ERA ranked eighth, his WHIP ranked third and his opponents’ OPS ranked seventh. The Phillies are not adding a power arm. They are adding a different look. Cortes is a crafty lefty who has built much of his success by disrupting timing. He changes leg kicks, slows his delivery, quick-pitches and keeps hitters from getting comfortable. It is still unclear how that style will play with the ABS system, but Cortes has never been afraid to throw strikes. He also gives the Phillies a different left-handed profile than Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo. When the organization said it was interested in a starter with postseason experience, Cortes fits that description. He has made five playoff appearances, including three starts. The timing of the move is familiar. On Aug. 31 last year, the Phillies signed Walker Buehler after he was released by the Red Sox, adding depth after Zack Wheeler’s blood clot injury. This situation is not the same, because the Phillies do not currently have a rotation injury, but the logic is similar. It is unclear how long Cortes will need before he is ready to help the big-league club. But if his buildup goes well, it is possible the Phillies could see him in the middle of September. For a team with postseason expectations, another arm is never a bad thing. ...read more read less