Nestor Cortez believes he made baseball history Sunday by possibly inventing the fake pitcher pump.
But if he was the first to use that tactic, he would be the last, or at least the last to pull it off.
Cortez was informed by MLB on Monday that his latest trick, in which he pretended to throw and waved his left arm at Cleveland’s Andres Jimenez, then raised his knee before continuing with the actual pitch, was not allowed.
Home plate umpire Mark Carlson excused the misconduct and Jimenez was fouled off the pitch. But Cortez has been warned that in the future it will be ruled illegal (and the ball will therefore be added to the count).
Cortez, who will make his fifth start of the season against the Rays in the Bronx on Saturday, is a master at breaking his rhythm, frequently stopping his windup before pitching and performing multiple knee raises.
However, pump fakes will need to be eliminated from his arsenal.
“I’m the only one who’s done that, and I’m the only one who ever will be,” Cortez said with a laugh. “I’m in it [record] Book! ”
