According to The Star-Ledger, Joba and D-Rob weren't available because Girardi wanted to give them rest, and he was saving Mo for a save situation.
Nevertheless, the Girardi hits are coming in.
From Andrew Marchand -
Unless there are undisclosed injuries, why would he go to Gaudin and Mitre over David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain or even Javy Vazquez? Again, unless he knows something we don't, it makes no sense.
And Jonah Keri -
The Tampa Bay Rays have just signed Joe Girardi to a lifetime contract to manage the New York Yankees.
- As if the last stretch of games wasn't bad enough, there's nothing but bad news regarding Nick Swisher's and Brett Gardner's injuries -
It has been almost two weeks since Swisher fouled a ball off his knee on Aug. 24 in Toronto, and after a period of slight improvement, he said Sunday in Texas that the pain had started affecting other parts of his body. It grew noticeably worse Wednesday, when he fell after taking a swing, and he ran with a limp his first two games against the Rangers...
"Short term, I'm worried about it because I don't know how long it's going to take," Manager Joe Girardi said of Swisher. "But I don't perceive it to be two weeks or anything like that."
And Gardner -
The Yankees' plans for Gardner are less clear. Although he is available to pinch-run and play defense, Gardner received an injection of anti-inflammatory medication where his wrist and forearm meet, and it usually takes 48 hours for the shot to take effect. He said his M.R.I. was more than just for his peace of mind.
"I couldn't have picked up a bat to swing," said Gardner, who was removed after five innings Saturday and did not play Sunday. "That's how bad it was."
Gardner's wrist has bothered him from time to time since he was hit by a pitch June 27 in Los Angeles, and he has deflected questions about whether it has contributed to his drop in production. After a strong opening three months, Gardner is batting .230 in 191 at-bats since Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers plunked him.
They can't get healthy fast enough.
- The Yankees will use Thursday's off day to skip Javy Vazquez, and with Andy Pettitte potentially returning Sunday, Vazquez could be dropped from the rotation (again) -
[Sabathia] will be followed by rookie Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes. A.J. Burnett will start Friday in Baltimore. On Saturday, Sabathia will go again, followed by Pettitte, who will return Sunday against the Orioles. Pettitte still needs to get through his final minor league rehab start in Altooona on Tuesday.
When the specifics of the Yankees' plan were laid out to Yankees manager Joe Girardi, he declined to confirm it.
"It could line up that way," Girardi said. "Like I said, I'll announce it when I have it."
Who would you prefer in the rotation: Vazquez or Nova (or Burnett)?
- The Tampa Yankees won their second straight Florida State League title with a 9-0 win over the Charlotte Stone Crabs, winning the series three games to one. Craig Heyer threw six shutout innings, Brad Suttle homered and Jack Rye had three hits.
- 1B Juan Miranda and IF Kevin Russo were called up after the Scranton Yankees' season ended on Saturday.