BRADENTON, Fla. — A year ago, Phil Hughes won the fifth spot in the Yankees’ rotation because he added a changeup during spring training.
However, the pitch that helped him get the job was all but deleted because he didn’t require it to post a 10-1 record by June 19.
“In the first half things were going so well I didn’t need it,’’ Hughes said of the change. “In the second half when I needed it I threw harder and curveballs. At the end of the season it was a good pitch for me, but …’’
From June 29 to Sept. 15, Hughes went 6-7.
Now, the 24-year-old right-hander is attempting to sharpen the changeup even though he doesn’t want to take away time from establishing fastball command, or working on his curveball and cutter.
“Larry (Rothschild) has given me some tips,’’ Hughes said of the first-year Yankees pitching coach. “He told me to explode at the end, to not get it going at the beginning (of the delivery).’’
Hughes said he threw three changeups Tuesday in a 2-0 loss to the Pirates at McKechnie Field.
Armed with a mid-90s fastball and at times a tantalizing curveball, Hughes said he understands he is never going to have a changeup in the Pedro Martinez mold.
“It’s not going to be a big strikeout pitch but I think it can be useable,’’ said Hughes, who went 18-8 and was an All-Star in his first full season as a big-league starter. “I am not going to scrap it this early in my career.’’
Hughes walked leadoff hitter Alex Presley, then got John Bowker to ground into a double play. He breezed through the second inning with three flyball outs.
Joe Girardi said he’ll be looking for more changes from Hughes.
“That’s something that we talked about,” Girardi said. “We do want to see more of his changeup. I think it’s important for him to take the next step because there are going to be days where you don’t have that curveball right away. You don’t have your cutter right away. You want something to give the hitters a different look. The more pitches you have, the more different looks you can give them as you go through the lineup the second, third, and, hopefully, fourth time.”
Pirates starter James McDonald also tossed two scoreless innings. The right-hander gave up two hits.