David Phelps sore but says he'll make next start
Yankees starting pitcher David Phelps delivers to Tampa Bay Rays' Matt Joyce during the first inning. (May 24, 2013) Credit: AP
A compression cast covered the red welt on David Phelps' right forearm, which he said still was "a little stiff, a little sore.''
But the righthander, hit by Ben Zobrist's line drive Friday night, stayed resolute about his next start. "I'll make it,'' he said of his next rotation turn Wednesday against the Mets at the Stadium. "I'll be good to go.''
Phelps said he plans to throw his regular bullpen session Sunday, though Joe Girardi sounded like a manager taking a far more cautious approach.
"I think you have to give him a couple more days to see where he's at,'' Girardi said. "If we need to protect him, we will. The one thing he hasn't done is he hasn't picked up a baseball. A lot of times you feel pretty good when you're not doing a lot. So we have to see how he feels.''
Even if Phelps, who retired the first 13 batters he faced in Friday night's 9-4 victory over the Rays, needs to skip a start or gets pushed back, Girardi has made it clear that the 26-year-old's hold on a rotation spot is secure.
"It's always good to get the stamp of approval from the manager,'' Phelps said. "But we've seen pretty often in this game, it doesn't really guarantee you the long-term. You have to keep going out and doing the job, and hopefully I can do that.''
Kuroda seems fineHiroki Kuroda, who left Wednesday night's start in Baltimore with a bruised right calf after getting hit with a comebacker, threw his scheduled bullpen session Saturday and said he expects to be a go for Tuesday night's start at Citi Field against the Mets.
"There's a little tightness. I can't say I don't feel anything,'' Kuroda said. "But it will be OK. That is what I'm planning to do.''
Pettitte progressingAndy Pettitte, on the disabled list since May 17 with a strained left trapezius muscle, passed his most recent test, a full bullpen session Saturday at Tropicana Field.
"It was good,'' Pettitte said. "See how I feel tomorrow and we'll go from there.''
Word is, if he feels good, he'll throw in a simulated game Tuesday at the team's minor- league complex in Tampa.
Pettitte is eligible to come off the DL June 1, making him a possibility to start next Sunday's game against the Red Sox.
Boesch upCurtis Granderson was officially put on the 15-day disabled list with a broken left pinkie and Brennan Boesch was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The outfielder hit .209 with a .244 on-base percentage, two homers and five RBIs in 20 games before being sent down May 13.
"It's kind of been a roller coaster the last couple of weeks,'' Boesch said. "You never wish that on anybody. Curtis got a tough break. I'm definitely looking forward to whatever opportunity I'm given.''
Yankees add HuffThe club acquired lefthander David Huff, 18-26 with a 5.40 ERA in parts of the last five seasons with the Indians, off waivers. To make room on the 40-man roster, lefthander Francisco Rondon was designated for assignment. A 25-man roster move will be made when Huff joins the Yankees, which he has 72 hours to do. Huff, 28, made three relief appearances with the Indians in 2013, allowing five earned runs in three innings. He started 52 games the previous four years.
