TAMPA — Masahiro Tanaka will debut as a Yankee Saturday against the Phillies at George M. Steinbrenner Field after CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda each take a turn.
“We’re going to space them out,’’ manager Joe Girardi said of his top three starters. “Tanaka’s starts will be spaced out a little more in spring training. He’ll be on five days sometimes and with some off days it gets kind of tricky. It’s the way [pitching coach] Larry [Rothschild] drew it up.’’
Girardi said Sabathia, who will start Saturday’s game, Kuroda and Tanaka each will go two innings or 35 pitches in their first outing.
“The big thing is we want them to start an inning,’’ Girardi said.
Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury will be in the Yankees’ lineup Wednesday for the exhibition season opener in Bradenton, Fla., against the Pirates.
“It will be good to see them in our uniform,’’ Girardi said. Figure they will play four or five innings.
MLB’s Rule 7.13 that was introduced Monday is designed to protect runners and catchers from injury at the plate.
“It’s a step in the right direction,’’ McCann said Tuesday of the rule that doesn’t allow the runner to go out of his way to jar the catcher and doesn’t allow the catcher to block the plate without the ball. “The throw from right field, you’re in no-man’s land. You can’t see the runner and you don’t know if he is going to slide or run you over. I think it cleans it up from that standpoint. I got a concussion in 2008 when I caught the ball from right. I dove in for the tag and got hit in the temple.’’
Girardi, a former catcher, said the Yankees will teach their catchers a way to handle plays at the plate, but they want them to be comfortable.
“Gary Tuck has a couple of different ways to teach it,’’ Girardi said of the bullpen coach, who also is in charge of the catchers.
Vidal Nuno, a long-shot candidate for the fifth starter’s spot, worked two scoreless innings against Florida State. He allowed one hit and fanned three. Reliever Bryan Mitchell also threw two scoreless frames. … Jimbo Fisher the football coach at national champion Florida State, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.