ANAHEIM, Calif. — The inside of Nick Swisher’s left elbow was hurting enough that the Yankees right fielder wasn’t in the lineup for last night’s 2-1 loss to the Angels.
Swisher had an MRI exam, but results were not available. He spent the afternoon waiting to have the elbow examined by an Angels doctor, and the waiting was killing him.
“I’m not nervous but I’ll feel a lot better when I know what’s going on,” said Swisher, who was replaced in the lineup by Andruw Jones.
Swisher’s elbow has been treated with heat and ice off and on this season, but he felt discomfort while making a throw Thursday in Baltimore.
“The first throw on Vlad [Guerrero], the ball was a little bit wet,” Swisher said. “I said, ‘Wow, that didn’t feel good.’ ”
Swisher, who is in a 3-for-28 (.107) slide, said throwing is more uncomfortable than hitting.
Following Thursday’s loss to the Orioles, Swisher avoided telling the media what the injury was.
“But I can’t hide it anymore,” Swisher said. “It’s a sharp pain, scary. I’m not a guy who likes to take too many days off.”
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With 20 games remaining and a doubleheader against the Rays on Sept. 21, it’s feasible the Yankees could keep working with a six-man rotation until the end of the regular season.
“We’ll go with this until we have to cut down,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “It’s not an issue until we’re forced to make a decision. It’s not hurting anyone. It might be helping.”
Manager Joe Girardi said he will wait to see if a starter is needed in the bullpen this weekend before announcing his rotation for the three games in Seattle next week.
Girardi said there was a possibility Phil Hughes or A.J. Burnett could be used in relief. Burnett didn’t throw his regular bullpen session yesterday.
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With three right-handers starting for the Angels in this series, Girardi didn’t waste time getting Jesus Montero his first start against a right-hander. Montero was the DH hitting eighth against Jered Weaver.
The rookie tagged the Angels ace for a solo home run in the third inning, his third blast of the season.
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Francisco Cervelli was in Girardi’s original lineup last night, but that was revised, with Russell Martin starting behind the plate.
“Russell’s [right] shoulder was sore Thursday and I figured he wouldn’t be ready but he came in and said he was fine,” Girardi said. . . .
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Though Ivan Nova won’t pitch against the Angels this weekend, he will get a look at Mark Trumbo, Nova’s biggest competition for AL Rookie of the Year honors.
Trumbo was hitting .256 with 26 homers and 80 RBIs entering last night’s play. Nova was 15-4 with a 3.95 ERA in 25 games (24 starts).
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Derek Jeter’s throwing error in the fifth inning, which helped the Angels score their first run, was the Yankees’ 10th in their last six games. They have 11 errors in September compared with 10 in 28 August games. . . . CC Sabathia starts tonight, attempting to become the first Yankees hurler to post at least 20 wins in two straight seasons since Tommy John did it in 1979-80. Sabathia is 6-7 with a 4.39 ERA in 15 career starts against the Angels, with a 1-0 mark against them this season. That 6-7 ledger doesn’t include two wins in the 2009 ALCS. . . . Mariano Rivera started last night’s action with 598 saves, three shy of Trevor Hoffman‘s all-time record of 601.
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Brooklyn product Dellin Betances joined the Yankees.
“This is unbelievable,” the 23-year-old right-hander said in the clubhouse. “I’m from New York, raised in New York and grew up a Yankee fan. And now I’m coming here.”
Unable to find somebody to throw to Thursday, Betances played catch with his brother Anthony in front of his Teaneck home before flying to California.
Between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Betances went 4-9 with a 3.70 ERA in 25 starts. He fanned 142 hitters in 126 1/3 innings.
“It was an up-and-down year,” Betances said. “I was inconsistent with my mechanics, but it’s better now.”
Betances will be used in relief, but the Yankees’ main reason for promoting the Grand Street Campus High School alumnus is so he can get a taste of the big leagues.