Hughes will not miss turn in rotation

CHICAGO -- Regardless of what Ivan Nova does Thursday night, Phil Hughes will make his next start, which is scheduled for Tuesday against Anaheim.

Joe Girardi made the announcement in his pregame meeting with reporters Wednesday. The future of Nova, unbeaten in his last six starts, is less certain.

"We want Nova to throw well and if he continues to throw well, we'll have to answer some questions exactly what we're going to do," Girardi said. "But Phil was real good last night."

The best he's been, by far, all season.

In the Yankees' rain-shortened 6-0 victory over the White Sox, Hughes allowed three hits in six innings. Hughes, who came in 1-2 with a 5.48 ERA since coming off the DL July 5, struck out four and walked none.

Girardi left open the possibility of staying with a six-man rotation a second time through, though with A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia both fairly adamant about their preference for pitching on regular rest, that's unlikely. Meaning Nova, though he's done nothing to lose his spot, could find himself in the bullpen or sent back to Triple-A. He left no doubt for his preference between those two options.

"I always say, the big leagues are the big leagues, nobody wants to be in the minor leagues," Nova said. "If they think they need me in the bullpen, I go to the bullpen. I'm not saying I want to go there but if that's the decision they make, that's what I have to do."

Tex on a hot streak

's game, Mark Teixeira led the Yankees with 31 homers and 82 RBIs and had been especially hot of late. The first baseman had hit six homers in his last 12 games and was 11 for his last 22.

"The chances of a guy staying hot for eight weeks, sometimes you're going to go through some little blips," Girardi said of Teixeira riding this streak to season's end. "But this guy's a good hitter. He's capable of doing it."

Extra bases

Girardi said Alex Rodriguez will hit off the tee Thursday in Tampa, his first on-field activity since surgery on his right knee July 11. Girardi said when A-Rod returns he will reclaim his spot as the cleanup hitter . . . CC Sabathia, 4-1 with a 0.92 ERA in July, was named AL Pitcher of the Month.