During the Minnesota Twins broadcast Thursday night, announcer Jim Kaat referred to Yankees starting pitcher, Nestor Cortes as “Nestor the Molester”.
The comment was made by Kaat to try and explain how Cortes had become one of his favorite pitchers during a breakout season with New York.
“’Nestor the Molester,’ Nestor Cortes,” Kaat said. “Angles and different speeds. He’s a pitcher.”
The Twins vice president of communications and content, Dustin Morse was quick to condemn the comments and spoke with Kaat personally after the broadcast.
“Obviously, we take these matters seriously and like in all cases will handle this internally and privately,” Morse told the Associated Press. “Jim meant no ill will.”
Kaat is reportedly planning on reaching out to Cortez personally to offer an apology.
Cortes was quick to comment after last night’s doubleheader sweep of the Angels.
“I’m sure, you know, he didn’t really mean it, and people make mistakes, but it didn’t offend me at all,” Cortes said. “I don’t really have anything more than just that, honestly.”
Cortes is enjoying the best start to his major league career as a pitcher.
In 10 starts, Cortes is 5-1 with a 1.50 ERA. In the first game of the double-header, Cortes threw seven innings of scoreless baseball en route to a 6-1 Yankee win.
Jim Kaat, 83, was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2021, a ceremony that is expected to take place in July of this season.
While Kaat has been broadcasting for the Twins, he does have experience working for both YES Network and MLB Network over the course of his over 20+ year career in broadcasting.
Jim Kaat Has Apologized Before
This is unfortunately not the first time that Kaat has had to apologize for comments made during a broadcast. In October of last year, Kaat apologized for comments made about Chicago White Sox infielder Yoan Moncada.
His comments centered around saying teams should “get a 40-acre field full of” players like Moncada.
Kaat later apologized for the comments on the broadcast calling them a poor choice of words.
“Earlier in the game when (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,” he said at the time.
While Cortes has seemingly apologized, it’s just the latest incident from a baseball Hall of Famer that will surround him as his broadcasting career continues.
