The Yankees promoted Phil Hughes yesterday, and there’s a shot he could start Wednesday.
Thanks to yesterday’s doubleheader, the Yankees need a starter that day against the White Sox at the Stadium.
“Do we bring somebody back early, or what do we do?” manager Joe Girardi said.
He said Sidney Ponson – who started last night’s nightcap – could get the nod, but mentioned Hughes as well.
Hughes, a massive disappointment this season, made six starts for the Yanks earlier this year, going 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA. He headed to the DL on May 1 with a stress fracture in one of his ribs but pitched well in the Triple-A playoffs, posting a 0.69 ERA in two games and striking out 23 in 13 innings.
Before the opener of yesterday’s doubleheader, Alex Rodriguez was scratched with a stiff neck. He did DH in Game 2, though.
“I have a big pillow, I probably just slept on it the wrong way,” he said between games. “It’s never happened to me before, but it’s quite painful.”
Despite the Yanks being headed for an October of watching the playoffs on TV, Girardi didn’t believe his coaches were on the hot seat, saying, “I don’t anticipate anyone being a scapegoat.”
That includes hitting coach Kevin Long, who’s presided over a disappointing offense.
Said Girardi, “Obviously one year is going to be more successful than the next, but you don’t forget how to be a hitting coach. Last year the offense was tremendous.”
In addition to Hughes, the Yankees recalled reliever David Robertson. . . . With six hits combined in the doubleheader, Derek Jeter now has 1,266 career hits at Yankee Stadium, three away from matching Lou Gehrig for all-time mark at the ballpark.
Mike Mussina on the possibility of winning 20 games: “I still have to win 18 first.” Mussina, the loser in Game 1 yesterday, is 17-9 and is scheduled to make three more starts.