Barring a sweep in this series, the Yankees will now need a fourth starter for the ALDS. It appears that will be A.J. Burnett.
Manager Joe Girardi would not say who’s starting beyond Ivan Nova in today’s Game 1 resumption and Freddy Garcia in tomorrow’s Game 2.
But when asked whether his fourth starter candidates would be equipped to handle the new development of now starting a game in this series, Girardi hinted Burnett would be the most likely choice.
“That’s something we’ll have to talk about,” Girardi said last night. “A.J. is obviously the most stretched out for us in that situation.”
So Burnett, beaten out by Garcia as the Game 3 starter, very likely will get to start an ALDS game after all.
That’s hardly a great development for the Yankees, considering the season Burnett has had. The $82 million right-hander went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA.
Mark Teixeira’s logic, however, was that the Yankees using a fourth starter in the playoffs was inevitable if they got past the first round. Why? Both the ALCS and the World Series are best-of-sevens.
“For the ALCS and the World Series, if we get there, we need that fourth starter anyway,” Teixeira said.
The other candidate for Game 4 would be Phil Hughes. It appears Burnett is higher on the rotation depth chart, however, because Hughes has not started a game since Sept. 12.
Burnett did throw one-third of an inning in relief in the Yankees’ regular-season finale against Tampa Bay Wednesday night.
Before that, his last start was excellent — in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Red Sox in The Bronx, Burnett fired 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball, striking out six.
“I think his last couple starts have been great,” catcher Russell Martin said.
“I think when he just goes out there and doesn’t think too much and just lets his ability take over, that’s when he’s great.”
Burnett has faced the Tigers twice this season, both in the early part of the schedule, and he was respectable in one and very good in the other.
On April 2, he allowed three runs in five innings in a 10-6 victory.
Then on May 5 in Detroit, Burnett surrendered five runs (only two earned) in seven innings, giving up just three hits and a walk in a 6-3 loss.
Burnett has started six playoff games for the Yankees and is 1-2 with a 5.67 ERA. He only started one last season, taking the loss in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Rangers, when he allowed five runs through six innings.