Major League Baseball informed Nestor Cortés that the pump fake he used during his windup against Andrés Giménez of the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday was considered illegal. Cortés, known for his unconventional tactics to disrupt hitters’ timing, was unsuccessful in fooling Giménez and ended up fouling off the pitch.
Despite not being reprimanded by the umpires during the game, Cortés was told that any future attempts at the pump fake would result in the pitch being ruled a ball. Cortés himself acknowledged that he was the only player to have attempted this move and was proud to be included in the record books for it. Yankees manager Aaron Boone was not surprised by the ruling and had a feeling that the pump fake would not be a long-lasting tactic for Cortés.
In an interview with the New York Post, Cortés expressed his uniqueness as a pitcher and seemed unfazed by the backlash from Major League Baseball. While some may have found the move entertaining, it ultimately did not have the desired effect for Cortés against Giménez. The ruling from Major League Baseball serves as a reminder that there are boundaries within the game that players must adhere to, even if they are trying to innovate and disrupt
