CC pushed back, setting
Joe Girardi offered different reasoning for juggling his starting rotation, but the move most significantly affects the Yankees’ pitching order for various potential playoff scenarios involving ace Luis Severino.
Sunday’s scheduled starter CC Sabathia has been pushed back to pitch Tuesday against Minnesota, because as Girardi said, “we’re trying to keep CC off that turf” in Toronto next weekend due to concerns over his balky knee.
The switch – with Sonny Gray taking Sabathia’s spot on Sunday against Baltimore, and Jaime Garcia (Monday) and Masahiro Tanaka (Wednesday) sandwiching CC’s rescheduled outing – also means that Severino now won’t pitch again until Friday in Toronto.
That sets up the first-time All-Star for one more regular-season start the following Wednesday or Thursday, and then not likely again until Tuesday, Oct. 3 for the potential AL wild-card game.
It also means that the emerging righty would be unavailable for the final weekend series against Toronto if the Yankees need him to pitch to secure the AL East title or for a wild-card berth, unless they bring him back on short rest.
Moving Severino out of this week’s series against Minnesota also keeps him from facing one of the Yanks’ potential wild-card foes; the Twins currently hold the second position.
THE FULL MONTY
Rookie lefty Jordan Montgomery’s six scoreless innings on Saturday represented his longest outing and his first win in eight starts since July 25.
“I think that this was important for him,” Girardi said. “His slider was really, really good today. I think it kept them off balance.”
A THIRD OPTION
Infield prospect Miguel Andujar was called up before the game, but the 22-year-old third baseman isn’t likely to see much time behind Todd Frazier and sizzling Chase Headley (14-game hitting streak) over the final weeks of the regular season.
Girardi said Andujar’s defensive play at third base “definitely improved over the course of the year,” which essentially was split between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A