Battered Yanks take a hit
Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano joined fellow Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang on the disabled list Sunday, further depleting New York’s already taxed pitching staff.
After a pair of extra-inning games Friday and Saturday against Oakland, the Yankees called up right-hander Chris Britton from Triple-A Scranton to give them a fresh arm in the bullpen for Sunday’s series finale against the reigning A.L. West champion Athletics.
New York manager Joe Torre said the club was discussing a couple of possibilities to take Pavano’s turn in the rotation Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium. Left-hander Chase Wright was thought to be the leading candidate to be called up from the minors.
“It’s OK,” Torre said. “We’re above water. That’s the main thing. We’re holding our own. We’re going to get healthy. It’s not anything that’s going to debilitate anybody for a long time. We have to hang around.”
Pavano was scratched Friday from his scheduled start Saturday with tightness in his forearm, while Mussina has a strained hamstring that he injured three batters into the third inning Wednesday in a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Mussina tried to throw off the mound Sunday morning but stopped after only seven pitches.
Colon ready for return
Bartolo Colon appeared to be in midseason form.
The Los Angeles Angels right-hander, working his way back from a torn rotator cuff that sidelined him for the final two months last season, threw seven shutout innings for Triple-A Salt Lake against Las Vegas in a final rehab tune-up.
Colon allowed three hits, walking one and striking out three. He threw 95 pitches, 68 for strikes.
He was scheduled to start for the Angels on Friday against Seattle at Anaheim.
But with the Angels getting rained out Sunday, and possibly today against the Boston Red Sox, Colon’s first start could be moved back.
Clearing the bases
The Toronto Blue Jays placed closer B.J. Ryan on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained elbow. … The Colorado Rockies placed infielder Kazuo Matsui on the 15-day disabled list because of back spasms.