Yankees' Nestor Cortes Says Twins Announcer Jim Kaat Meant No Harm With 'Nestor The Molester' Comment

Yankees LHP Nestor Cortes revealed Friday through Twitter that Twins announcer Jim Kaat apologized for a comment he said during a broadcast the day prior.

Jim Kaat, the longtime member of the Twins broadcast team, referred to Cortes as "Nestor the Molester" during the broadcast of the Twins and Tigers on Thursday. He was in the middle of explaining how the Yankees ace had become one of his favorite pitchers this season.

Cortes, 27, said after the Yankees' 6-1 win over the Angels Thursday that he wasn't offended by the remark. He followed that up with the following statement:

"Jim Kaat has spent an entire lifetime in this game we love," Cortes wrote. "He reached out to me and apologized for his remark last night, but he didn't need to. We all make mistakes and feel 100% there was no malice intended. I plan on lifting him up with this tweet and I hope others do too. No sweat here Jim!"

The Twins said Thursday that they were handling the matter "internally and privately."

Cortes is in the middle of a breakout season in New York and is one of the top candidates thus far for the American League Cy Young Award. Cortes has pitched to a 5-1 record in 10 starts this season, with a dazzling 1.50 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 60.0 innings pitched.

He outdueled reigning American League MVP Award winner Shohei Ohtani at Yankee Stadium Thursday, throwing seven shutout innings with seven punchouts.