Yanks send Nova to minors to make room for Hughes

NEW YORK -- After missing two-and-a-half months, Phil Hughes is on the verge of returning to the New York Yankees rotation -- and Ivan Nova is the odd man out.

The Yankees optioned Nova to Triple-A Scranton before Sunday afternoon's game against the New York Mets. Nova, 24, is 8-4 with a 4.12 ERA. The Yankees will keep him stretched out as a starter at Triple-A, thinking that if one of their remaining starters is hurt or ineffective, Nova will get the call.

Nova always seemed like the most likely candidate to lose his spot in the rotation. CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are the team's top two starters, while Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have excelled after joining the team on minor league contracts. The Yankees are hoping that Hughes can regain the form that made him an All-Star last year. He is 0-1 with a 13.94 ERA in three starts.

Hughes' first start back from the disabled list will likely be on Wednesday night in Cleveland against the Indians. Nova had been the Yankees' probable starter for that game.

On Wednesday afternoon, Hughes threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball during an 88-pitch rehab outing for Double-A Trenton, so he will have to wait two extra days instead of being on regular rest. The 25-year-old has been on the disabled list since April 15 with right arm inflammation.

Nova is 8-4 with a 4.12 ERA in 17 games, 16 starts. The rookie right-hander has won four straight decisions, including a 5-1 victory over the Mets on Friday night.

In other news, streaking shortstop Eduardo Nunez was held out of the lineup because of tightness in his right hamstring. Nunez, filling in for injured Derek Jeter, was 7 for 8 with a homer and three doubles in the first two games of the Subway Series at Citi Field.

Ramiro Pena was set to start at shortstop. Nunez said it was nothing serious and he was available to play. Girardi said there were no tests planned.

Jeter went 1 for 2 with a walk in his first rehab game Saturday night with Double-A Trenton and was scheduled to play there again Sunday night, weather permitting. He is expected to rejoin the Yankees on Monday in Cleveland.

Elected by fans to start at shortstop for the American League in the All-Star game July 12, the 37-year-old Jeter has been on the disabled list since June 14 with a strained right calf. He is six hits shy of 3,000.