MINNEAPOLIS — By eliminating the Twins in three games, the Yankees now can send CC Sabathia out three times in the ALCS vs. the Angels if they want.
Had there been a Division Series Game 4 today, Sabathia would have started. That would have left him having to pitch on short rest if the Yanks wanted him to go in Game 1.
In the clinching clubhouse last night, manager Joe Girardi did say that Sabathia will start Game 1 at the Stadium, now with extra rest. That extra rest makes it more comfortable if the Yanks want to start him on three days rest in Game 4. In that scenario, if there were a Game 7, Sabathia could come back on full rest.
Girardi said there were still meetings to be held to formulate a plan. It is possible, if the Yanks were trailing in the ALCS, they would be more likely to use Sabathia short in Game 4.
Because there is an off day after Game 4 and after Game 5, the Yanks could go back to A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte on normal rest in that scenario to start Games 5 and 6.
As The Post reported last week, the Yanks no longer consider Joba Chamberlain much of an option to start Game 4, and if they decided to deploy a fourth starter rather than Sabathia on short rest, they probably would use Chad Gaudin.
“I will take the ball whenever they ask,” Sabathia said.
Sabathia also said the extra rest he has received in September and so far in the playoffs should make him fresh in a way that he was not when he pitched poorly on three days rest for Milwaukee in last year’s playoffs. He has started four regular-season games on three days rest and is 3-1 with a 1.01 ERA. But he is just 5-7 with a 4.72 ERA lifetime against the Angels.