 Nester just based on your social media. It seems like you are finding ways to enjoy the off season and you are fresh off your 28th birthday. So what did you do for your birthday. Yeah, we we celebrated here at the house with you know friends and family. I wouldn't say it was a big one, but I had about 30 or 40 people here. So we enjoyed it here. I got a couple of presents and I was just happy to share my 20th birthday with them. After the season that you had. What was it like to return home. I imagine the community embraced you. Yeah, I mean I used to go to these local bars and restaurants here by my house and you know now some somebody finds a way to you know recognize me and you know say hi and ask for an autograph and picture but other than that feels great. I mean I like I like you know that people were watching and people were were following my my season. Do you get the sense that kids in particular are really looking up to you kids in hallelujah are looking up to you and the things you were able to accomplish. Yeah, I think I think there has been some some. Some excitement and some you know urge to watch me because obviously I grew up here. Hi, Leah. I've been just right around the corner here for my house as a little kid and you know being in the big leagues and having the success I had this year not being so tall and not being the most you know the most talented prospect gives him a sense of you know there's a there's a time and place for everybody and everything so hopefully they can continue and do what they like to do so they can reach their goals they want to reach. You've had a little bit of time to reflect on last season. So what stands out to you about last season. I think the fact that I was able to throw 150 innings. I know I got hurt. You know in late August for two weeks and obviously got hurt in the playoffs but I think the biggest challenge for me was not only to you know pitch well but to pitch for as long as I did this season. I think that was the biggest hurdle for me this season because I never had pitched past I think 115 20 innings with playoffs included so. When you look we always say let this past season but really it started this season before we saw that you were capable of getting out major league haters especially as a starter. What was the key in building off of that and allowing you to throw that amount of innings. Well I think it all started with confidence. I think the more I pitched in games the more comfortable I got you know getting on the mound in Yankee Stadium and anywhere else in the big leagues. I think the confidence I had to build for myself in order to pitch the way I did and I think it all started also with the offseason training that I've been doing. They've helped me out here in Miami. You know get to goals where I wanted to go. We we talked to Cressy on the phone and we we wanted to point out you know deficiencies that I had in my body and where I can get better and where I can move a lot faster. So I think everything went in hand with all that and plus like I said the confidence you know they both helped me out to be who I am today. Is there anything that you Eric Cressy Matt Blake identified heading into this offseason that you're working on something in particular. Yeah we do have to get in a call here now very soon because I had I have just gotten off my rehab stuff. I've been rehabbing my my my growing for the time being here in Miami. So I do have to jump in a call with them but I did jump in a call with Matt Blake and I told them what my goals were this year and what he wanted what he thought I should improve and couldn't prove that. But as far as like the training stuff and the strength stuff we got to get with Cressy and see what kind of things we want to hit on just because now I just got over I just got over my growing. It's finally healthy. I feel great. I've been running. I've been jogging so that's kind of like the first step to it. But now we're going to get into the weight training. You mentioned goals your first time all star last year. How much better do you think you can be. I mean I guess no secret that this was an amazing season for me. And I think for anybody that could have thrown what I did this year I think everybody would have been happy with the success that I had but like I said I think I think the biggest hurdle last year was to get to 100 plus innings. And I think this this this go around is going to be to get to 200 innings. I think that's going to be my my biggest goal was is to pitch more innings than what I did last year. Obviously try and be as healthy as I can for the for the full year. And I think everybody everything else will come whether it's the ERA lowering it or whether it's striking out where people or whether it's you know allowing less space runners on I think that all comes in hand with being healthy if I'm healthy I think I'm able I'm able to do that again. Hey when I spoke to you heading into last spring training you were kind of wondering if you were in the rotation were you the outside looking at and how different is your mindset this season in preparing for this spring. Yeah well this spring training is going to be a little different. I feel like because obviously I threw 150 innings. I think I've gotten enough time off with my arm to kind of get it back. You know like a like a refresh. But then again we we we go into spring training with WBC in front of us and I also have to come in and some some type of shape or form that I have to be ready to compete. You know so I think it doesn't change from all the other past off seasons that I've had. I think I got to be I got to come in and make sure I'm I'm ready to go for that though. Because it's going to be really important for me. And obviously I want to perform after that during the season for what the bigger goal is which is to get to the playoffs and win the championship. What excites you about pitching in the WBC and was that at all a hard decision for you to say yes I want to be on that roster. No it wasn't hard at all actually they called me I want to say late October and they said hey do you have an interest in pitching in the WBC. I said I said yes like like. They couldn't even finish the sentence as I was already saying yes. But no I mean I growing up the WBC has been in Miami I think 2013 was the last one here in Miami and I was in high school when it happened. So going to the ballpark and seeing obviously the best in the world to compete against each other was was kind of a kind of a dream for me not only to be playing the big leagues but also participate in one of the best tournaments in the world. So when I got the call it was it was a definite yes it was an easy yes obviously with clearance from the Yankees and you know hoping that everything was OK for me to go especially with the growing injury that I had but. Once they gave me the green light it was it was a no brainer. What do you think of the roster you have to feel pretty good about your chances. Yeah yeah it's it's nice it's nice to it's nice to play with all superstars. I mean you go you know from top to bottom. Pitchy staff also guys that are you know going to be in the Hall of Fame guys that are superstars in the game. So I'm not only I'm not only excited to play in it but I'm only I'm more excited to pick on those people that have been playing for a while and see what their mindset is and see what their goals were throughout the years. So I cannot second feed off that. Speaking of rosters the Yankees got a big present under the tree this year in the form of Aaron Judge. I believe I saw you were at the Bucks game with him the day before day and a half before he officially decided. Nester did you know anything. Did you know I was coming back. I had no idea to be honest. I was trying to throw some you know some little pointers to see if he would give me anything but he was I mean if he was playing poker I would I couldn't tell the hand he was playing. It was just fun to be around him. Obviously he I was in Tampa for something and he obviously lives there. So I texted him. I said hey Aaron what are you doing. He goes hey we're actually going to the Bucks game tomorrow night. If you're if you're still in town I'm like of course I'd love to come. So me and my fiance went. We hung out with them at the game and it was it was awesome to be there with them. And and I said I said to my fiance said imagine he signs you know with us tomorrow and we can say that we were we were with them the day before he actually signed this contract but he took it a little longer and that was OK but I'm happy he's back in Pinstripes. You know he deserves everything in the world. He's he's I feel like anybody you want to be like it you want to be like him because he's a special human being. Was there any cell that night on your behalf saying you got to come back. We want you back in Pinstripes. I think the picture on Instagram kind of told them that you know we needed him back. I got a lot of speculation about that. People are going crazy about it because they're like you got to know something you got to know something. And then once they use his like you definitely knew something. I didn't know anything. But like I said I'm just happy he he made the decision not only for not only for us but for him and his family. I know you guys always have the group chat going with the team certain group chats. What was the reaction when the news started trickling out that he was coming back. Everybody was going nuts. Everybody was going crazy. Obviously congratulating him. But and he was obviously the person that he always is kind of humble and and you know not trying to pay any attention to what what had what had just happened. But he was basically saying how happy he was to be with us again and go to battle with us again. You know for years to come. And that's kind of the person he is. He just he wants to be there for the guys and and be as respectful as possible to to the game. All right. Christmas just around the corner. So I have to ask you what's on your wish list. So many things. I'm actually I'm actually in the market for a car. So hopefully I can get myself a little a little car for myself when I go to New York. So that's kind of what's on my on my Christmas list. I'd ask you what made what model. But I don't want everyone following you around. No please. Hey enjoy the holidays and I look forward to catching up with you again soon. Thank you Meredith.