Young Blue Jays fan flipping Yankees’ Nestor Cortes the bird was actually funny

TORONTO, ON - MAY 4: Nestor Cortes #65 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch in the first inning during a MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on May 4, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 4: Nestor Cortes #65 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch in the first inning during a MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on May 4, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

Just like every fan base, you have the delightful folk who simply love the game and want to spread the joy … as well as the deplorable bunch who are largely incoherent because they view a sporting event as an elevated frat party.

New York Yankees fans have been the subject of such discourse lately, especially after they threw trash at the Cleveland Guardians outfielders a couple weeks ago. It happens, sadly. But the players and level-headed fans came out to thankfully condemn that behavior.

This week in Toronto we saw both ends of the spectrum too … well, kind of. On Tuesday night, a Blue Jays fan graciously gifted a Yankees fan with an Aaron Judge home run ball in one of the kindest gestures we’ll see all year. It was a viral heartwarming moment that made everyone realize, “Wow, being nice is cool sometimes!”

But then came Wednesday night, when perhaps a little rascal Blue Jays fan wasn’t about that energy. Welcoming the opposition to the Rogers Centre in any way? Not for this kid. Never in a million years, especially if this how he’s acting early in his fandom years.

It’s almost impossible to condemn his behavior, however, because it was so hilarious … and also understandable. Yankees fans — from the 10-year-olds to the 60-year-olds — are very familiar with the gesture he used.

While Nestor Cortes Jr. was on the mound Wednesday night, a little kid behind the backstop was incessantly flipping the left-hander the bird before he’d throw a pitch. Can someone ask Nestor if he saw this feisty dude?

A young Blue Jays fan flipping off Yankees’ Nestor Cortes Jr. was hilarious

Maybe Nestor can do a photo-op next time the Yanks are in Toronto, kind of like what Judge did with the fan who received his home run ball. That’d totally be up the pitcher’s alley, since he’s all about jokes and good times.

It’s worth wondering, too … was this the reason Nestor labored through his outing? He threw 83 pitches over four innings and struggled with his control in his worst start of the season. This young Jays fan might be onto something.

Either that, or this kid inspired manager Aaron Boone to lose his mind in NSFW fashion when arguing with the home plate umpire (and getting ejected) later in the game.

Let’s just hope the young fan didn’t hear everything Boone had to say or else he’ll have some intriguing words to pair with his middle finger gesture next time the Bombers are in town.

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