Broadcaster Jim Kaat uses offensive nickname for Yankees' Nestor Cortes during game
Minnesota Twins broadcaster Jim Kaat made an offensive remark while describing New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes on the air Thursday, marking his second such remark over the past year.
Kaat was calling the Twins’ 3-2 loss to the Tigers in Detroit on Thursday, and brought up Cortes while Chris Archer was striking out Miguel Cabrera.
“‘Nestor the Molestor,’ Nestor Cortes,” Kaat said on the air. “Man he is fun to watch.”
Jim Kaat's nickname for Nestor Cortes is "Nestor the Molestor" 😬 pic.twitter.com/ezLhcPBXSB
— MLB Errors (@mlberrors) June 2, 2022
The Twins spoke to Kaat after the game, and said that he plans to reach out to Cortes to apologize.
“Obviously, we take these matters seriously and, like in all cases, will handle this internally and privately,” Twins vice president of communications and content Dustin Morse said, via The Associated Press.
“Jim meant no ill will.”
Cortes, who has earned the nickname "Nasty Nestor," was asked about the incident after the Yankees’ doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
“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, via The Associated Press. “So, you know, I don’t really have anything more to say than just that, honestly.”
Kaat, 83, played in MLB from 1959-1983 for the Senators, Twins, White Sox, Phillies, Yankees and Cardinals. The Hall of Famer and longtime commentator also worked for the Yankees and the MLB Network.
Thursday’s incident marks his second in less than a year. In October during an MLB Network broadcast of an ALDS game between the Astros and White Sox, Kaat said that teams should try to “get a 40-acre field full of players” that look like Yoan Moncada. That comment, of course, references the 40 acres of land and a mule that the United States government promised, and largely failed to deliver to, slaves after they were freed following the Civil War.
Kaat apologized later during that game, saying he “used a poor choice of words that resulted in an insensitive and hurtful remark.”
