Joba Chamberlain, sidelined earlier this week with the flu, threw a successful bullpen session Wednesday and may be ready to make his spring debut as soon as Friday.
“If he feels OK on Friday, we’ll pitch him,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi told The Journal News Wednesday evening.
Chamberlain, 24, compiled a 4.75 ERA, a 1.54 WHIP and a 133/76 K/BB ratio in 31 starts (157 1/3 innings) during the 2009 regular season for the Yankees before posting a 2.84 ERA in 6 1/3 postseason frames. He’s fighting this spring for the Yanks’ final rotation spot along with Phil Hughes, Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre. Hughes and Chamberlain are thought to have the upper-hand for now, but anything can happen as March turns into April.
The Yankees host the Rays on Friday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.