Kei

Igawa

The contract is worth about $2.5 million. Igawa failed to meet the hype after landing a $20 million contract from the Yankees in 2006, registering a disappointing 6.66 ERA and 4.6 BB/9 in 70-plus career MLB innings.

Igawa was pulled after a two-out, bases-loaded walk to Barry Bonds in the fifth. Fortunately for him, Luis Vizcaino was able to come in and retire Bengie Molina on a fly to left. Igawa may not have received the victory, but at least he lowered his ERA and likely earned himself another start.

Igawa will get the start tonight against the Giants.

Igawa walked five, but he allowed just two hits, both of which were singles. He’s now walked 37 in 67 2/3 innings for the Yankees this season.

Igawa gave up eight hits and struck out six, showing that he’s not particularly close to returning to the Yankees’ rotation.

Chien-Ming Wang apparently will be pushed back a day to Saturday. Igawa will replace Tyler Clippard in the rotation. He pitched well while retooling his mechanics, posting a 1.80 ERA and 21 strikeouts in his last 20 innings at Triple-A, but he’ll be a risky fantasy play initially.

Igawa threw 115 pitches in the five innings. He allowed seven hits, walked four and struck out seven. The Yankees might decide they have no further use for him once Phil Hughes is ready to come off the DL.

He allowed four hits, walked one and struck out four. In two starts since his demotion, Igawa has surrendered four runs -- two earned -- in nine innings.

He struck out nine in his best start since his demotion. With Igawa ruled out and Ross Ohlendorf on the minor league DL, it’s hard to tell what the Yankees are planning for Monday. It’s unlikely they could pull a reliever out of the pen. Chase Wright is an option, but he’d be going on three days’ rest. Steven Jackson is Scranton’s scheduled starter tomorrow.

Because of tomorrow’s off day, however, the Yankees could use Chien-Ming Wang, yesterday’s hurler, Thursday. Torre was waiting to see how Wang, who is 4-0 in his past five starts, was feeling.