ANAHEIM, Calif. – Though nobody in the Yankees organization will guarantee Joba Chamberlain will pitch again this year, the fiery right-hander said he doesn’t believe the rotator-cuff tendinitis that landed him on the disabled list this week is season-ending.
In fact, Chamberlain said to look for him in a game before September.
“I’ll be throwing in a week. I’ll probably throw the beginning of next week,” Chamberlain predicted yesterday from the Yankees’ Tampa facility. “Everything feels fine now.”
As for getting into a game before Sept. 1, Chamberlain said, “I’ll throw way before that in a game.”
Chamberlain is 4-3 with a 2.63 ERA in 12 starts and 20 relief appearances.
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Seattle put left-hander Jarrod Washburn, 34 next week, on waivers yesterday. Any team wanting to trade for Washburn has to put in a claim and wait until Tuesday for the waivers to expire.
The Yankees were interested at the July 31 trade deadline, but the Mariners wanted more than a mid-level prospect from the Yankees and wanted them to pay all of the $10.35 million owed to Washburn next year.
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With Phil Hughes and Carl “American Idle” Pavano extending to 85 pitches Tuesday night for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Trenton, respectively, GM Brian Cashman said he hasn’t ruled out the right-handers making their next starts in the majors.
Hughes and Pavano pitched effectively Thursday night. Hughes went 42/3 innings against Pawtucket, allowed a run, three hits, fanned two and walked two. Pavano worked 32/3 shutout innings against Akron, gave up a hit, fanned four and walked two.
Hughes hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since April because of a fractured rib. Pavano hasn’t tasted the big leagues since last April because he had Tommy John surgery on the right elbow.
