Mired in a four-game losing streak, the New York Yankees will turn to a pitcher who failed to make much of an impression with them in 2008 when he started the season in the rotation.
Phil Hughes will make his debut for the Yankees on Tuesday night when they continue a three-game road set against the Detroit Tigers, who have won three straight.New York (9-10) will replace Chien-Ming Wang, who has a 34.50 ERA this year and is on the 15-day disabled list, with Hughes. Last season, the Yankees put Hughes in the rotation to start the year, and he went 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in six outings in April before being placed on the disabled list.
The right-hander came back in September to go 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts, and he had a solid spring this year. Hughes was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on March 21 after posting a 2.19 ERA in four spring training appearances.
"Hughes had a great camp," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said at the time. "He's in a good frame of mind. He knows he did great."
Hughes' stint in April last year ended after he allowed six runs over 3 2-3 innings in a 6-4 loss to the Tigers on April 29, 2008. He fell to 0-2 with a 10.24 ERA in two career starts against them.
Detroit (11-8) won 4-2 Monday behind Justin Verlander, who scattered seven hits and struck out nine over seven scoreless innings. He outpitched CC Sabathia, who pitched a six-hitter for his first complete game with the Yankees.
Placido Polanco went 2-for-4 with two runs scored Monday. Polanco is hitting .423 (11-for-26) with six doubles and seven RBIs in six games at home.
Magglio Ordonez had a two-run homer to continue his recent success against the Yankees. Ordonez is batting .464 (13-for-28) with 10 RBIs in his last seven games versus New York.
Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 14 games - one shy of the longest of his career. His five homers are the most by a New York second baseman in April since Alfonso Soriano had eight in 2003.
New York has managed only three runs in its last two losses
"If we keep putting guys on base, we'll start scoring runs," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We aren't doing it right now, but that will change."
Edwin Jackson (1-1, 2.77) looks to bounce back from his first loss of the season for Detroit. Jackson posted a 2.14 ERA in his first three outings before giving up six runs over five-plus innings Thursday in a 10-5 road loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Jackson is 2-4 with a 5.80 ERA in nine career starts against the Yankees, including 0-3 with a 6.85 ERA in his last three. New York's Derek Jeter is 10-for-24 (.417) lifetime against him.
Jeter's at-bat in the first inning Monday gave him 8,103 for his career, surpassing Mickey Mantle's franchise record.
