A few thoughts as one New York baseball season ended and the other continued to the World Series:
1. Nestor Cortes being healthy enough to rejoin the Yankees staff for the World Series is relevant. Aaron Boone said Monday that the lefty was trending in the right direction. Cortes was to face hitters Tuesday as he tries to return from a left elbow flexor strain. He last pitched on Sept. 18.
Having lefty relief to face the Dodgers is important. Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy are all good left-on-left hitters, but they are far better against righties.
Consider that Ohtani had an .867 OPS against lefties this season and 1.036 against righties — only Aaron Judge’s 1.159 was better. Freeman was .762/.854. Muncy was .743/.852.
