Thanks to Monday being dark on the Yankees’ schedule, they can alter their starting rotation for the three-game series against the Rays that starts Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Since CC Sabathia pitched Friday night, his next turn on regular rest would be Wednesday. If manager Joe Girardi works him on regular rest, he could use Hiroki Kuroda, Sabathia and Ivan Nova against the Rays.
Considering that not using Sabathia on regular rest would mean the Phil Hughes/David Huff tag team would make a start, figure on Sabathia pitching Wednesday.
“It’s something we have discussed. We will have to make a decision pretty quick on what we are going to do,’’ Girardi said.
After Saturday’s 6-0 win over the Giants, Sabathia said he didn’t know when he would next pitch.
Despite passing an impact test and given permission to play again, there is a chance Austin Romine won’t get into a game until next season.
“He was cleared to play from the test but after he exercises a little bit he is still not 100 percent,’’ Girardi said of the catcher, who hasn’t played since suffering a concussion Sept. 10. “I don’t know if he will play the rest of the year. I am not real sure.’’
The concussion was the second in three seasons for the 24-year-old Romine, who suffered one in the minor leagues in 2011 that sidelined him for a month.
The Yankees are 3-5 since Brett Gardner was shelved with a strained rib cage muscle on Sept. 12.
In the eight games, the Yankees scored 24 runs.
“I am feeling good but I haven’t run yet,’’ Gardner said. “I am going to try the treadmill [Sunday] and then get outside Tuesday.’’
Having watched Eduardo Nunez — who launched a key two-run home run Saturday — struggle at third base last season, the Yankees’ intention from the start of spring training was to limit Nunez to being a shortstop.
With Derek Jeter starting 13 games, Nunez started 69 games at short, and it would have been more had he not missed 58 games because of an oblique muscle injury.
And with Alex Rodriguez limited to DH duty recently thanks to a left hamstring problem and a right calf injury, Nunez has started three of the past four games at third, including the past two in which he has played solid defense.
So, could the Yankees be looking at the right-handed hitting Nunez as a player who can handle multiple positions next year?
“It is something that we would consider but not something we would consider at this point,’’ Girardi said. “Anytime you can play different positions it increases your value.’’
With a 211-game suspension lingering over Rodriguez’s head and Jeter’s history of ankle and leg injuries this year, Nunez could figure prominently on the left side of the infield next season.
As for using Rodriguez at third in any of the remaining eight games, Girardi didn’t rule it out. Rodriguez was the DH Saturday, going 0-for-4 while driving in a run. Since suffering a hamstring injury Sept. 10, Rodriguez hasn’t played third base.
“I have been taking it day by day, series by series,’’ Girardi said. “We get through this weekend and see where we are. Hopefully he is available to us but if not we will continue to do what we are doing. ’’
At 82-73, the Yankees clinched their 21st straight winning season. It’s the second longest stretch in MLB history, trailing only the Yankees’ 39 seasons from 1926-64.