MLB

Yankees place Nova on 15-day DL

Ivan Nova was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday after an MRI exam revealed triceps inflammation.

The right-hander said he knows it could have been worse after being forced to leave Friday’s start with pain in his arm whenever he threw a curveball.

“It’s not that bad,” said Nova, confident he would return when he’s eligible. “I just won’t throw for a few days.”

The Yankees called up left-hander Vidal Nuno from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Nova’s place on the roster, and David Phelps likely is to slide into Nova’s slot in the rotation.

“I think that’s our plan, because he’s been every fifth day and stretched out,” manager Joe Girardi said of Phelps, who threw four innings in relief of Nova Friday, giving up just one run. “Nuno is stretched out, too, but we need Nuno in the bullpen.”

The Yankees also called up catcher Austin Romine from SWB for Francisco Cervelli, who had surgery on his fractured right hand he suffered behind the plate on a foul ball Friday. Cervelli was placed on the 15-day DL.

Romine will get lots of playing time during Cervelli’s absence, expected to last six weeks. Chris Stewart started in yesterday’s 5-4 win over the Blue Jays and went 1-for-4.

“I want to take whatever time I do have here and show them I can do it,” Romine said. “That I can handle it back there; handle the pitching staff and I can swing at the plate.”

Romine, 24, spent some of September with the Yankees two years ago, but his development was slowed by a back injury that robbed him of much of 2012. He said physical therapy has rectified the problem.

To make room for Nuno, who was not on the 40-man roster, the Yankees shifted Derek Jeter to the 60-day DL.

* Kevin Youkilis avoided a trip to the disabled list and returned to the lineup yesterday after missing the previous six games with back stiffness.

“I felt fine,” Youkilis said after going 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored and having no problems at first base.

* Phil Hughes gets the start today against R.A. Dickey, still looking for his first victory of the season.

Hughes has pitched better his last two starts after a pair of rough outings to begin the season.

“Wins sort themselves out,” Hughes said. “As long as the production is there, I know the wins will come.”

Hughes attributed his improvement to a change in attitude.

“I don’t think it was a matter of stuff,” Hughes said. “My mindset and aggressiveness wasn’t there early on. I was trying to locate too much and doing things I shouldn’t be doing.”