Nestor Cortes shows his appreciation for Jose Trevino and praises the Reds on getting his contract extension done
MILWAUKEE — When Jose Trevino stepped up the plate to face Brewers starting pitcher Nestor Cortes on Thursday, Trevino smirked at Cortes, and Cortes smirked back at the Reds’ catcher.
Trevino and Cortes were teammates between 2022 and 2024 with the New York Yankees. As Cortes broke out from nowhere and became an All-Star, Trevino was calling the pitches.
This was their first time facing each other since the Reds traded for Trevino and the Brewers dealt for Cortes.
Trevino doubled off of Cortes in his first at-bat and smiled at the starting pitcher.
“I was so upset that I didn’t look back at him,” Cortes said. “The second at-bat, he flied out. He gave me the ‘ohh’ like he almost missed it. I was like, ‘Dude, shut the hell up. That was a pop up.’”
It was all in good fun.
“(Trevino) is one of one,” Cortes said. “Me and him spent a lot of time together. He caught me for a few years. I’d say he’s one of the most prepared catchers I’ve ever thrown to. The confidence that he gives you, when you get one of the best catchers in the league to call your game, you feel like you’re invincible.”
Cortes still feels appreciative of all of the homework that Trevino did before their starts. Trevino would watch the last 25 at-bats of all of the hitters in the opposing team’s lineup. That’s 225 at-bats worth of film prep before each game.
“He does a lot of homework,” Cortes said. “He studies a lot. He reads swings. He does it all. People might say he’s not a different maker. He really is. He’s one of my best friends in the game. I miss throwing to him.”
Trevino has left a similar impression on Reds’ pitchers. On the first day of spring training, before he caught the initial bullpens of his new Reds’ teammates, Trevino asked for detailed scouting reports on each pitcher that he was throwing with.
Trevino’s impact was so clear that the Reds felt comfortable giving him a contract extension before he played a single game with his new team.
“He’ll help a lot of guys over there,” Cortes said. “I’m happy for his extension. That was a great move by the Reds’ organization. There’s not a better guy back there.”