TAMPA — The Yankees have made some major pitching moves this offseason, but don’t count out Phil Hughes. The right-hander is on a mission, and he has been since his terrible 2011 season ended.
He’s looking to get back in the Yankees’ rotation and be an All-Star again.
A much stronger and in-shape Hughes was on display yesterday at the Yankees minor league complex. He could be the odd man out, the sixth man in a five-man rotation that consists of CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda and Freddy Garcia (not counting A.J. Burnett).
“They’ve always told me they view me as a starter, and that’s how I will continue to work this year,’’ Hughes said after throwing his third bullpen session in a week of voluntary workouts. “I have to prove that I belong here and prove that I deserve a spot. That’s what I’m trying to do.’’
Since the day the Yankees traded for Pineda and signed Kuroda, Hughes said his mindset was “to prove that I belong.’’
This is a “no excuse’’ season for Hughes. Remember, he’s still just 25 years old.
“Last year was a bad year,’’ Hughes said. “It’s something I don’t want to happen again, that’s for sure. I feel like if I can stay healthy and do what I did two years ago, I’ll be in good shape. That’s really the way I look at it.’’
Hughes, who stands 6-foot-5, said his body composition has changed for the better even though he remains the same weight as last season. The Baby Huey look has been replaced with lean muscle.
“I replaced some weight with muscle,’’ he said. “I didn’t lose like 40 pounds, but I feel a lot better. Right now I’m like 240.’’
He admitted that he was out of shape last season compared to where he is now physically.
“I feel a lot better,’’ he said. “I feel that I really pushed myself this offseason.’’
Hughes said he feels his velocity also is better than where it was last season, when he was impaired by a dead arm, but there still is an entire spring training to get everything right.
“It seems like the circumstances are a little different every year, but they sort of have the same undertones, which is pitch really well and deserve to be here and you are going to have a spot,’’ he said of life with the Yankees as a young pitcher.
“I’m just going to try to stay healthy this year,’’ he said. “Last year was a roller coaster, shoulder stuff going on and then the lower back at the end of the year. It was a difficult year for me, and this year I want to make sure there are no excuses. That’s kind of my goal for this year, to be healthy and not leave anything to question.’’
Hughes worked out four days a week in Southern California at the Athletes Performance Institute, about 30 minutes from his parents’ home in Tustin, outside of Anaheim. Yes, Hughes still lives at home in the offseason, but he added on a living area for himself.
As for the workouts, he said, “It was something I really wanted to do. It’s just a really good workout program. I started throwing earlier than I normally would.’’
He needed to change something. His numbers tell the story. Hughes was 11-2 in the first half of 2010 with a 3.65 ERA, making the All-Star team. The second half of that season, Hughes posted a 7-6 mark with a 4.90 ERA.
Then it got worse, much worse. After winning his first postseason start against the Twins, Hughes was crushed in two ALCS starts against the Rangers, going 0-2 with an 11.42 ERA.
He never recovered from those performances. Hughes never dug out of his rut last season, finishing the season with a 5-5 record and 5.79 ERA.
He said he is excited to pitch against new Angel Albert Pujols.
“We open up against them at home,’’ he said of the Yankees’ first homestand.
Hughes is making it a goal to be in the Yankees’ rotation from the start.