After Sunday’s awful outing against the Twins, Phil Hughes is comparing his delivery from Sunday (above) to last year’s terrific start against the Twins in the ALDS. (Neil Miller)
Ivan Nova, who got his second major league win in the Yankees’ 4-3 victory over the Twins last night, was not the only pitcher studying Minnesota’s lineup yesterday.
Phil Hughes spent the afternoon looking at photos of himself from last October, when he shut the Twins down in Game 3 of the AL Division Series, pitching seven scoreless innings. Hughes was comparing those photos with ones from his Sunday start against the Tigers, when he gave up five runs in four innings and his velocity dipped below 90 miles per hour for most of the day.
The 24-year-old said he thinks he and pitching coach Larry Rothschild found some things to correct in his mechanics: namely, his head positioning and his arm swing being too long. Hughes also said he plans to do more long tossing before his start Friday afternoon in Boston.
He is as baffled as anyone at his lost velocity.
“It’s impossible to know why,” Hughes said. “I really have no idea. I know it didn’t just disappear. I feel healthy.”
The Yankees are searching for clues why Hughes, who consistently hit 93 mph last year, topped out at 91 on Sunday and could not get a swinging strike on his fastball.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he’s not worried.
“I’d be concerned if he was hurt,” Girardi said. “He has said nothing to us to lead us to believe there is something bothering him. The one thing I don’t want him to try to do is pitch to the [radar] gun. If you try to get to 94, you’re not going to get there.”
Hughes said he is trying not to fixate on the radar-gun readings, but it’s hard.
“It’s a key for me,” Hughes said of his speed. “I’m confident it will come back.”
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The top of the Yankees’ order continues to sputter.
Brett Gardner went 0-for-3 and Derek Jeter went 0-for-4. The duo is now 4-for-29 this season (.138) with six strikeouts.
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Twins starter Scott Baker hit Mark Teixeira on the top of the right foot with a pitch in the first inning. Teixeira broke a toe on the foot last August when he was hit with a pitch, but said this one hit the top of his food and he was fine.
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Tonight will be the first time the Yankees will face a left-handed starting pitcher this season when the Twins send Brian Duensing to the mound.
Girardi will alter his lineup to have Jeter bat leadoff, and Andruw Jones also will make his first start as a Yankee, playing left field. Either Gardner or Curtis Granderson will play center field, with the other getting the day off.
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The Yankees used the same defensive (other than pitcher) and batting lineup for the fourth straight game last night. It was the first time the Yankees did that in the first four games of a season since 1987.