TAMPA — Now that Andy Pettitte has arrived, the competition for spots in the Yankees rotation has been ratcheted up, and manager Joe Girardi will be watching to see how starters not named CC Sabathia or Hiroki Kuroda are affected.
Michael Pineda got the first close-up last night in a 10-3 win over the Pirates at Steinbrenner Field. After slogging his way through a 39-pitch first inning in which he gave up a homer to Andrew McCutchen on a 3-2 slider, the righty recovered to strike out five of the last six hitters he faced.
“That’s a game where you think he’s found it and he can continue to work,” Girardi said.
Pineda also hit 94 mph on the radar gun after struggling this spring to display the velocity that caught the Yankees’ attention when they acquired him from Seattle in a trade for Jesus Montero.
Pineda said he was opening his left shoulder in the first inning and adjusted in his final two innings. He wound up throwing 72 pitches (47 strikes) in the three frames.
Before the game, Girardi said he was not too concerned with Pineda’s reduced velocity.
“Too much can be made of the fastball,” Girardi said. “It’s not like he’s at 86-89 [mph]. Could it be a year he doesn’t throw 97? I guess it could be. We believe in our hearts the velocity is going to get where it needs to get, but you’re still measured by outs.”
Girardi knows the radar-gun readings will remain an issue as long as Pineda continues to not live up to his billing.
“I understand why people ask the questions,” Girardi said. “People want to see that 95-96. I get concerned with him trying to do too much.”
* Nick Swisher returned from a left groin injury, but was removed for a pinch runner in the third inning after feeling tightness in his right groin.
“I felt something grab [on the right side] in almost the same spot,” the right fielder, who said he never had issues with his groin previously. “I’ll take a couple more days. It’s frustrating. Maybe I’m a little tight in that area.”
Robinson Cano (bruised left hand) and Russell Martin (groin) also were back in the lineup, but Derek Jeter (left calf) was not despite the shortstop saying he no longer felt any discomfort.
Jeter took batting practice and did his conditioning indoors yesterday, and Girardi said Jeter would move outside to work on the grass today and run the bases on the dirt tomorrow. Barring any setbacks, Jeter is expected to return to the lineup for the Yankees’ next home game Friday.
* Freddy Garcia (bruised right hand) and David Robertson (foot) both threw successful bullpen sessions, according to Girardi.
Garcia could pitch in a game Friday if pitching coach Larry Rothschild signs off. Robertson needs at least one more bullpen session. … The Yankees optioned pitchers David Phelps, D.J. Mitchell and George Kontos and infielder Brandon Laird to the minors.