Twins commentator Jim Kaat gives Yankees hurler Nestor Cortes an offensive nickname
Whether it’s the Sultan of Swat, the Splendid Splinter or The Big Unit, baseball has a storied history of nicknames for its stars.
Minnesota Twins color commentator Jim Kaat tried to add a new chapter to that history on Thursday and failed miserably.
While describing Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes’ incredible start to the season during Thursdays Twins-Tigers broadcast, Kaat dubbed him “Nestor the Molester.”
“Nestor the Molester, Nestor Cortes,” Kaat said. “Angles and different speeds. He’s a pitcher.”
Kaat, 83, a former all-star pitcher who played for several teams including the Twins, Cardinals and Yankees, has been making rather curious remarks on air. In 2021, he apologized after saying teams should try to “get a 40-acre field full of” players who look like White Sox infielder Yoan Moncada, who is Cuban, during Game 2 of the ALDS between the Sox and Astros.
After the U.S. Civil War, the government pledged to give freed slaves 40 acres and a mule, but the pledge was not kept. Cuba also has an ugly history of slavery-backed plantation farming.
Kaat apologized later in that broadcast. “I need to read this right now. Because, earlier in the game when Yoan Moncada was at the plate, in an attempt to compliment the great player that he is I used a poor choice of words that resulted in an insensitive and hurtful remark. And I’m sorry for that.”
Cortes is having a star-making season for the Bombers. He’s 5-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 68 strikeouts in 60 innings. He’s allowed three runs or fewer in his last 19 starts. He’d previously been dubbed “Nasty Nestor” by Yankees fans.
