Andy Pettitte will take to the hill for Double-A Trenton in Altoona, Pa. in the first game of the Thunder’s best-of-five Eastern League Championship Series.
If it’s up to the veteran left-hander, the appearance will be Pettitte’s last before rejoining the Yankees’ starting rotation.
Pettitte was sharp in his outing Thursday for Trenton, throwing 51 pitches in four shutout innings, giving up two hits, striking out four and walking none. He’s been on the disabled list since July 18 with a groin injury, and is 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA in 18 starts for the Yankees.
Pettitte said over the weekend that, if things go well tomorrow, he will return to the Yankees’ rotation this weekend in Baltimore. The Yankees would welcome his return – the team’s current rotation options after ace CC Sabathia (A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, Javier Vazquez and Dustin Moseley) aren’t exactly scary.
tbontemps@nypost.com
