The Red Sox will get another look at Andy Pettitte before the season ends, as his scheduled start for Wednesday night against the Blue Jays has been pushed back to the upcoming weekend.
Joe Girardi was planning on using Pettitte from the mound if the Yankees needed to secure their playoff spot. However, the Yankees clinched on Tuesday night, so Girardi will save Pettitte for the weekend series in Boston. He will instead send Javier Vazquez to the mound on Wednesday.
Amidst the beer and champagne rainstorm in the Yankees locker room on Tuesday night, Pettitte told reporters he wasn't sure which day he'd be throwing — whether he matches up against Clay Buchholz on Saturday or John Lackey in the regular-season finale on Sunday.
It seems more likely that Pettitte will go on Saturday, which will give him a full rotation's rest to start in Game 2 of the American League Division Series scheduled to start on Oct. 6. The Yankees will match up against the Minnesota Twins or the Texas Rangers in the first round of the ALDS — depending on whether they finish the season with the wild card or the AL East crown.
Girardi has not announced his ALDS rotation further than CC Sabathia getting the start in Game 1, but a start for Pettitte in Game 2 seems probable at this point in the season.
"Now, I can start thinking about things like that," Girardi said after clinching on Tuesday night, according to ESPN.com.
For Pettitte, as long as he doesn't repeat his last effort against Boston, he is content with the shuffle in the Yankees' rotation. In his most recent outing, the Red Sox scored seven runs in 3 1/3 innings against the left-hander.
"This definitely works out better for me,'' Pettitte said. "But it really doesn't matter. Unfortunately, I was out [with a groin injury] for a lot longer than I thought I would be, so I got to make this work."
