Burnett to start ALCS Game 4 for Yankees

Added on Oct 11, 2010 by Ted Sillanpaa in

MLB

The Yankees announced on Monday that A.J. Burnett will start Game 4 of the AL Championship Series on 2 1/2 weeks’ rest.

Burnett didn’t see action in the AL Division Series win over the Twins.

General manager Brian Cashman said the club won’t use a three-man rotation against Texas or Tampa Bay, which would have required CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes to all start on three days’ rest in the latter part of the best-of-seven series.

Hughes is now in position to pitch a potential Game 7 against the winner of Tuesday’s Game 5 between the Rays and Rangers.

“We hope A.J. pitches well for us,” Cashman said. “We believe in him every time he takes the mound, but he has struggled, no question about it, here in the second half. But that was then. This is now. He’s a very competitive person. We believe that competitive nature will allow him to step up and do a great job for us. We look forward to that. But you can’t run away from how he pitched in the second half. He didn’t pitch well.”

In the second season of an $82.5 million, five-year contract, Burnett did not appear against Minnesota in the division series and has not pitched in a game since Oct. 2. He was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA during the regular season, including 4-13 with a 6.48 ERA over the final four months and 1-7 from Aug. 1 on.

“He’s got a very complicated delivery,” Cashman said. “But when he’s on, he’s as tough as they come.”

Burnett was 1-1 with a 5.27 ERA in five postseason starts last year, beating Philadelphia in Game 2 of the World Series and losing on short rest in Game 5.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi was appreciative.

“I didn’t know how he would take it,” Girardi said. “But we talked about it and he seemed like he’s on board. He’s going to do whatever he can to help us.”