BALTIMORE — Not wanting Andy Pettitte to sit idle longer than he has, manager Joe Girardi tabbed the veteran lefty to start Game 2 of the ALDS against the Orioles at Camden Yards.
The opposite feeling was used in determining Hiroki Kuroda would pitch Game 3 Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
Girardi said Phil Hughes is scheduled for Game 4 Thursday night, but if the Yankees trail, 2-1 in the best-of-five affair, Girardi could bring Sabathia back on three day’s rest.
“I think there are a couple of factors in this. Number one this is the most innings [Kuroda] has had since he has been [in America] and probably in his career,’’ Girardi said of the 37-year-old right-hander. “We thought the extra rest would help him. And we didn’t want Andy to go too long without throwing.’’
Kuroda’s team-high 219²/₃ innings are career-high, as were the 16 wins. He last worked Wednesday and would have been on regular four-day rest for Game 2.
Pettitte’s last start was a week ago in Toronto and will have had eight days off.
“It doesn’t matter, they tell me when I am pitching and I pitch,’’ said Pettitte, who holds the all-time postseason record for wins with 19. “I am excited to get back out there.’’
Like every other Yankee, Pettitte is aware how badly the Orioles’ Mark Reynolds hurt the Yankees in the regular season when he hit seven homers and drove in 15 runs in 14 games.
“How can you not,’’ Pettitte said of knowing what Reynolds did. “There were a lot of bad pitches and he did what you are supposed to do with them.’’
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Alex Rodriguez said he is impressed with the job manager Buck Showalter has done in turning the Orioles around.
“I was with Buck. I really have a lot of respect for him. What he’s done over there is exactly what he’s done in New York and Arizona and Texas,’’ said Rodriguez, who played for Showalter in Texas in 2003. “He’s a mastermind. Give him a lot of credit.”
Nick Swisher keeps mentioning it, so you know it’s on his mind.
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“I am not stressing. This could be my last hurrah,’’ Swisher said of being a free agent following the season. “It could be so let’s make it a good one.’’
Swisher is likely to command three or four years at $15 million per and that will turn off the Yankees, though he has been a productive regular-season player in four years with the club and is very popular with the fans.
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Unlike Girardi, Showalter only named his Game 1 starter, Jason Hammel. Like Girardi, he didn’t announce his 25-man roster.
“We’ve had a meeting today with the staff and then [general manager] Dan [Duquette] and I, we’re going to sit down again after the workout and shore that up,’’ Showalter said.“There’s a couple variables, like [Wilson] Betemit swung the bat and felt real good today. First time he took extended batting practice, and he’s coming along quickly. “Right now we’re probably looking at [Wei-Yin] Chen and [Miguel] González in 2 and 3, but that could change, depending on the rain‑out. If we have a rain‑out tomorrow, then a lot of things change because we can resubmit a different roster provided we don’t exchange lineup cards. So if we have some rain issues, then the roster would change more than likely.’’
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Showalter said he expects first baseman Mark Reynolds to play Sunday. Reynolds was hit in the hand Friday night in Texas.