CLEVELAND – The thunder and lightning that used to dance around Phil Hughes has been stolen by Joba Chamberlain.

Remember when Hughes was the Yankees’ pitching prospect everybody buzzed about? Recall the stir the Yankees created by promoting him from Triple-A in late April when he was 20? Or the despair Yankees fans felt watching him blow out the left hamstring in early May while working on a no-hitter against the Rangers?

Well, Chamberlain’s meteoric rise through the system this year and Hughes spending three months on the disabled list has nudged Hughes out of the spotlight a bit. And that’s fine with him.

“It’s good,” Hughes said of Chamberlain’s much talked-about arrival in the Yankees’ bullpen this week with his high-octane fastball and filthy slider. “It takes a little heat off me.”

Hughes makes his second start since coming off the DL tonight against the Indians at Jacobs Field and fourth of the season. He expects to improve on the 42/3 innings last Saturday against the Royals when he gave up six runs and seven hits.

“The first couple of innings everything was going well,” said Hughes, who retired six of the first seven batters. “Now I want to carry that over for six, seven or eight solid innings (tonight).”

Alex Rodriguez didn’t report to Jacobs Field yesterday for treatment on his calves and general manager Brian Cashman didn’t hear from his trainers concerning his cleanup hitter. That means barring a setback, A-Rod will return to the lineup tonight against Indians right-hander Fausto Carmona when the Yankees open a three-game series against the AL Central leaders.

A-Rod sat out Wednesday night’s loss in Toronto with a calf problem he called “sore.” Adding intrigue to the situation is that A-Rod was hit on the left leg by Josh Towers Tuesday but walked around the clubhouse before the game with a wrap on his right calf. Afterward, he broke into a brisk jog going from the clubhouse to a vehicle.

While he hasn’t homered since hitting No. 500 last Saturday, A-Rod looks more comfortable at the plate since becoming the 22nd player to reach the milestone. He is 4-for-15 (.267) since hitting the homer compared to 3-for-29 (.103) before.

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If Roger Clemens drops the appeal of his five-game suspension, the Yankees will need a starter Monday against the Orioles if they don’t plug Chien-Ming Wang in the possible opening. While Wang would be working on a normal four days’ rest, Joe Torre and Ron Guidry have often discussed giving their ace an extra day of rest, which yesterday’s off day would provide. However, Wang lasted 22/3 innings Wednesday and threw just 59 pitches.

Regardless of when Wang pitches – his next scheduled start is Tuesday – the Yankees will need a pitcher in the event Clemens is benched. They could haul Jeff Karstens out of the bullpen or promote Ian Kennedy from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Kennedy, the Yankees’ top pick in 2006, started Wednesday night and would be in turn to work again Monday. It’s not likely the Yankees, who would have to lop somebody off the 40-man roster, would do that to give Kennedy one start.

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Every Indian will wear No. 14 tonight to honor Larry Doby, the first black player in the AL 60 years ago.