HOUSTON — In a week filled with finales, Joba Chamberlain’s likely final appearance as a Yankee was memorable in its own right.
One night after Mariano Rivera practically was serenaded off the field at Yankee Stadium following another excellent performance, Chamberlain was smacked around by the lowly Astros after entering in the seventh inning of the Yankees’ 3-2 win Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
Manager Joe Girardi brought Chamberlain into the game with two on and two outs to replace David Phelps and Chamberlain’s disastrous season continued. Chamberlain said the possibility of his days with the Yankees coming to a close in the next few days hasn’t crossed his mind.
“I haven’t even thought of it,” Chamberlain said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the last few days with these guys, enjoy my son being here and try finish strong. I probably won’t think about it till it’s over.”
If it does come to an end, Chamberlain’s fall has been astonishing. After bursting onto the scene in 2007, he became a mop-up pitcher for much of this season.
“He’s been through a lot with the [arm] injury and then to his ankle,” Girardi said. “He started off pretty good this year and then had the rib cage injury and never really got back on track for us. It’s tough, because I think he’s better than what he’s pitched.”
Friday, he gave up a booming double to Brett Wallace that reached Tal’s Hill in center field well over 400-feet from home plate. It scored the two runs Chamberlain inherited. He also surrendered a single and a walk.
Girardi said he wasn’t sure whether a change of scenery would do Chamberlain any good.
“I don’t know,” the manager said. “As a player, you’ve got to go out and produce. You’ve got to execute and every year you’ve got a new shot of doing it.”
The Yankees held on for the victory, sparked by David Adams’ two-run double and Adam Warren improved to 3-2 after tossing five shutout innings.
David Robertson closed the game with a perfect ninth for his third save and perhaps a preview of 2014.
Robertson was booed by the crowd, who wanted to see Rivera pitch.
“I definitely heard the boos as I was coming in,” Robertson said. “I tried to push them out of my head and make pitches.”
He wasn’t surprised by the reaction.
“I didn’t take it personally,” Robertson said. “I understand why the fans really want to see Mariano. There are two games left now … and they weren’t happy to see me coming into the game.”
Robertson is hoping for a better reaction in The Bronx next year if he wins the closer’s job Chamberlain once seemed in line to inherit.