Freddy Garcia, who is 0-1 with a 9.75 ERA on the young season, is likely pitching for his spot in the Yankees‘ rotation on Saturday afternoon against the Tigers.
The right-hander, going on an extra day of rest, will be looking to give the Yankees a solid performance after Friday night’s 7-6 Yankee victory.
Opposing Garcia will be rookie Drew Smyly, who is making his fourth career start.
Andy Pettitte will likely be returning very soon, and either Garcia or Phil Hughes will be getting the bump from the rotation.
Every start counts for both pitchers at this point in the season—the one who shows the least promise by the time Pettitte is ready will be given the hook.
Garcia can keep himself in the rotation with a quality start against the Tigers, but it won’t be an easy task.The Tigers boast a very powerful lineup and their biggest star, Miguel Cabrera, has fantastic career numbers against Garcia.
In his career against the fellow-Venezuelan, Cabrera is 11-for-26 with four homers.
It’s essential for the Yankees to get an early lead. The less pressure on Garcia, the better off the team is. Scoring early hasn’t been a problem for the Yankees so far this season. They’ve scored a first-inning run in eight of their 11 wins.
It should be a good matchup on Saturday, but look for Garcia to have a little extra motivation.
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