If New York Yankees starter Phil Hughes needs any help getting through Game 6 against the Texas Rangers on Friday night, CC Sabathia will be there to back him up.
Sabathia, who threw 112 pitches in six innings to help the Yankees to a 7-2 victory on Wednesday in Game 5, says he will be available to pitch in relief on Friday.
Sabathia would normally have thrown a between-starts bullpen session on Friday, but he will rest up instead to be ready for bullpen duty, according to Ed Price of Fanhouse.“I can probably throw 45 pitches (or) 50 tomorrow,” Sabathia said.
Other than two All-Star Games, Sabathia has never pitched in relief as a professional: minors, majors or postseason.
“Let’s see how he feels tomorrow,” manager Joe Girardi said, “but our plan is that he will be available for us.”
Sabathia has made two starts in the series, allowing five runs in only four innings in Game 1, which the Yankees nonetheless won. The last pitcher to make two starts and a relief appearance in a best-of-seven series, according to Price, was Pedro Martinez for the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS.
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