Yankees' Capuano gets Saturday start vs. Jays
NEW YORK – Chris Capuano was a 35-year-old minor-leaguer, prepping to start for the Rockies before the Yankees acquired the 10-year big-leaguer Thursday, throwing some cash Colorado's way. Now the Yankees are throwing the lefty right into the rotation.
"If you would have told me about 25 hours ago, I wouldn't have believed you," Capuano said before Friday night's series-opening 6-4 win over the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.
Joe Girardi announced that Capuano will start Saturday, that Shane Greene will be pushed back Sunday, and that Chase Whitley will be moving to the bullpen. The patchwork job on an injury-ravaged rotation continues.
"We're going with a guy that's a little bit more experienced," Girardi said.
Capuano has a career record of 74-84 with a 4.28 ERA across 266 games, 209 of them starts. He also pitched with the Diamondbacks, Brewers, Mets, Dodgers and the Red Sox.
He won 18 games in 2005 and was an All-Star in 2006 for Milwaukee. He went 11-12 with the Mets in 2011. He has also been through two Tommy John operations, the last one in 2008.
His 2014 season started off well in relief for Boston. He owned a 0.00 ERA in 11 outings. But his ERA for five June outings came in at 22.50 ERA. The Red Sox released him on July 1, ultimately with a 1-1 record and a 4.55 ERA in 28 games.
"It was a tough last month a little bit, but really it was only a week that was kind of tough," Capuano said. "I grew up in New England, in Springfield, Mass., where it's pretty much 50-50 Yankees-Red Sox split. To have the opportunity to play for both teams in one year is unique and pretty special, and if anything, I'm just excited to be back in the big leagues and starting."
He wanted to be a starter again and signed with the Rockies three days after the Sox let him go. There were four starts combined with Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Colorado Springs to get him stretched out, and he went 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA. Capuano said the original plan was for him to be starting for the Rockies this weekend.
"There's just meaning to being a Yankee, the storied franchise that it is," Capuano said. "It's just a privilege to be a part of it and to put the pinstripes on."
Asked what he likes about Capuano, Girardi said, "Just the experience that he has; used to being a starter; used to logging a lot of innings; gives us a left-hander at our ballpark, which you like. It also allows us to — Chase is really built up — put him in the bullpen to help us out there as a real long guy. It gives you more flexibility with (David) Huff. So it does a lot of things for us, actually."
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