Blue Jays nip Yankees

David Phelps could end up back in the N.Y. Yankees’ rotation.
Phelps allowed just two hits over three scoreless innings yesterday as a Yankees’ spilt squad lost 1-0 to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Phelps struck out one and walked one, and he has not given up a run in five innings over two starts.
He could earn a starting spot if Phil Hughes remains sidelined by a bulging disk.
Hughes is working out in a pool and might resume throwing early next week.
“Until he declares himself as healthy, it’s just too early to make a call on it,” Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman said of Hughes.
“If asked the question, is opening day in jeopardy for him? Yeah. He’s still got some more things to do just to be in a position to get off the mound again,” Cashman noted.
“If everything goes right, maybe by Tuesday next week, hopefully get the ball into his hand for just a flat-ground throwing program.”
Phelps threw 27-of-38 pitches for strikes. He was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA as a rookie last year, making 11 starts and 22 relief appearances.
“I’m still preparing the same way whether I’m in the bullpen or if I’m to going to be a starter,” Phelps reasoned.
“Just go out and try to be ready to pitch whether role they need me.”
Brandon Morrow gave up two hits in two shutout innings for Toronto while Andy LaRoche hit a seventh-inning homer off Chase Whitley.
“I felt in rhythm, and I was a lot more aggressive to my spot with the ball, which obviously the results were better,” Morrow noted.
Morrow allowed two earned runs and three hits in one inning against Detroit on Feb. 23.
Blue Jays’ right-hander Sergio Santos gave up one hit over a scoreless inning.
Santos could start the season as the closer if Casey Janssen, who had had surgery in November to address lingering shoulder soreness, is not ready.
Santos missed almost all of last season after shoulder surgery.
“He doesn’t have a lot of experience doing that, but he might have to be the guy depending on how Casey progresses,” said Toronto manager John Gibbons.
Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus didn’t play yesterday because of minor shoulder tightness.
Before the game, Yankees’ closer Mariano Rivera and ace CC Sabathia, New York’s expected opening-day starter, both threw in their first simulated games.
Rivera pitched in nine games last year—his season ending when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while tracking down a fly ball during batting practice in Kansas City on May 3.
He had surgery June 12.
Sabathia, who had off-season left elbow bone spur surgery, and Rivera both plan to throw another simulated game.