Phil Hughes’ velocity kept diminishing during his return start last night, a potentially troubling development for the Yankees right-hander in his first start in nearly three months.
Hughes, pitching in the majors for the first time since April 14, came off the disabled list from a dead arm, struggled at times, allowing two runs in five innings in the Yankees’ 5-3 loss to the Indians last night.
“I wasn’t very sharp,” Hughes said of his 87-pitch outing. “Overall it wasn’t very good.”
Hughes put the Yankees in a 2-0 hole in the first inning, allowing the first three Indians to reach base. He allowed six hits, two walks and two hit-by-pitches. He put 10 men on base in five innings and threw a wild pitch.
More alarmingly, Hughes did not have an overpowering fastball. He threw 40 four-seam fastballs and didn’t get a swing and miss on any. Hughes, who came into the night averaging just 89.8 mph on his four-seamer in his three starts before going on the disabled list, averaged 91.5. That’s better, but consider Hughes averaged 92.3 mph on it in the first inning, saw it drop to 91.5 by the third and had it at just 90.6 in the fifth.
At that point, Hughes was barely above what he had been before his disabled list stint.
“He was up a lot,” manager Joe Girardi said. “And when you’re up, you’re flat. The velocity remained the same. . . . People will say it’s a good outing, but we know he can be better.”
Hughes, who had been sidelined by an inflamed shoulder, said he felt fine physically. He did hit 93 mph several times and even in that fifth inning, hit 92.
Nevertheless, Hughes is 0-2 with a 10.57 ERA in his four starts this season and hasn’t won a game since last year’s ALDS against the Twins.
Hughes is presumably under pressure to perform, especially because the Yankees have Ivan Nova looming in the minors as an easy replacement. Hughes’ next start will be post-All-Star break, possibly not until the Rays series beginning July 18.
Hughes said he wasn’t concerned about his failure to maintain velocity.
“If anything, I felt like my location was better in the later innings,” he said.