Yankees Calling Up Mitre to Replace Wang in Rotation

As speculated, the Yankees are planning to bring up pitcher Sergio Mitre from Triple-A to replace the injured Chien-Ming Wang in the rotation.

Mitre, 28, is schedule to start on Tuesday against Baltimore, according to the Associated Press.

The righty, who missed all of 2008 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, agreed to a minor league contract with the Yankees in the offseason before being suspended for 50 games under baseball's substance abuse policy. Following his return, Mitre compiled a 1-0 record and 1.93 ERA in two starts at Single-A, then went on to total a 3-1 record and 2.40 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A.

Mitre has 78 games (52 starts) of major league experience under his belt with the Cubs and Marlins, putting together a 5.36 career ERA. He was managed in 2006 by Joe Girardi in Florida.

"He's a sinker, curveball, changeup guy," Girardi told the AP. "He's
sinker's probably 88-91 [mph]. He's going to throw a lot of strikes,
he's going to get a lot of ground balls when he's throwing the ball
well. I've always thought he's had kind of a bulldog attitude."

Wang was placed on the DL on July 5 with a right shoulder strain. He was initially replaced by Alfredo Aceves before the All-Star break, but Girardi said the Yankees liked Aceves — who's compiled a 2.49 ERA and 0.97 WHIP this season — in his relief role.

"Ace is going to stay in the bullpen because we feel that he's just too
valuable to take him out of the bullpen right now," Girardi said.

Youngster Phil Hughes was also in the discussion to replace Wang, but he's asserted himself as the eighth-inning bridge to Mariano Rivera. He hasn't allowed a run since June 10, and in his latest appearance on Friday against Detroit, he pitched two scoreless innings while striking out six.