Pettitte’s Career as a Yankee May Be Over
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Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte is done for the season because of a sore left shoulder.
“It’s giving me a little trouble,” Pettitte said. “I’ve thrown enough innings. There’s not any sense in going out and continuing to kill myself now, to push myself through anything.”
Pettitte had an MRI exam on his shoulder earlier this month, revealing no major damage. He won his last start on Sunday night, beating Baltimore in the final game at Yankee Stadium.
The 36-year-old Pettitte went 14-14 in 33 starts and threw 204 innings. His 4.54 ERA was his highest since 1999, when it was 4.70.
“We just felt that Andy has got enough innings,” manager Joe Girardi said before Wednesday night’s game against Toronto. “He was scheduled to start on Saturday if the game meant something. We’re going to shut him down and Sidney (Ponson) will make that start.”
New York was eliminated from postseason contention Tuesday night when Boston beat Cleveland 5-4.
Pettitte had lost five straight starts before allowing two earned runs in five innings during the win over Baltimore last weekend.
Pettitte, who has 215 career wins, is eligible for free agency after the season. He said he’ll go home before making a decision about 2009, but would like to return to New York and open the new Yankee Stadium.
“I just need to get away for a little while,” Pettitte said. “I don’t want to drag it out. They’ve pretty much let it be known they’d like to have me back, which is good enough for me.”
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YANKEES 6, Blue JAYS 2 Bobby Abreu hit a grand slam in the 10th inning and the Yankees won their seventh straight game last night, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2.
Facing left-hander Jesse Carlson, Juan Miranda doubled to begin the 10th and was replaced by pinch-runner Melky Cabrera. Chad Moeller walked and Brett Gardner advanced both runners with a sacrifice before Robinson Cano was hit on the leg, loading the bases for Abreu, who drilled a 1-0 pitch into the bullpen in right field. It was his 20th homer of the season.
Carlson (7-2) had not allowed a run in 14 innings.
Jose Veras (5-2) worked one inning for the win.
Making just his second start since April 29 after missing much of the season with a stress fracture in his rib, New York right-hander Phil Hughes pitched eight innings but failed to post his first win of the season. He allowed two runs and five hits, walked none and struck out a season-high six.
