Is Nova's rotation spot in jeopardy?

SEATTLE -- Maybe his purpose was to get Ivan Nova going, but Yankees manager Joe Girardi didn't make it sound as if the righthander's hold on a rotation spot is 100 percent secure.

"He's supposed to start Friday [in Anaheim],'' Girardi said. But he didn't say anything about turns after that.

Nova, spotted a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning Saturday night against the Mariners and ace Felix Hernandez, gave up three runs in the bottom half. He lasted only 32/3 innings and further taxed a bullpen that also had to spring into action early Friday when A.J. Burnett lasted only five innings.

Nova walked three, threw a wild pitch and hit a batter.

"He has the ability to do it, he's just not doing it," Girardi said. "He couldn't find his curveball last night. He's been kind of a two-pitch pitcher, and when you don't have your breaking ball, you put yourself in bad spots."

Nova, 24, is 3-1 with a 3.90 ERA in the month of May after a rough start to the season. But in his last two starts, he's allowed 16 hits and seven runs in 101/3 innings. Girardi said Saturday that Nova had "no command," but he wasn't ready to say if the pitcher is regressing.

"I guess we'll have a better idea after his next start," Girardi said. "He's had some inconsistencies and at times, he looks very, very good for us, and then at times, he's had trouble throwing strikes."

Through Saturday, righthander Adam Warren was 3-1 with a 3.57 ERA for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

No Posada vs. lefties

With Jason Vargas on the mound Sunday, Jorge Posada sat and Derek Jeter was the DH.

Girardi said the 39-year-old Posada's 0-for-26 performance against lefties this season isn't the reason he isn't likely to play against them in the future.

"It's just a way for me to try to give some of my righthanders a blow," Girardi said, meaning Jeter, 36, and Alex Rodriguez, 35. "That's what I've done. Jeet is a guy that needs DH days, and Alex is a guy that needs DH days, and those are the days that I've chose to do it on."

The Yankees are scheduled to face lefthanders Tuesday and Wednesday: Oakland's Brett Anderson and Gio Gonzalez.

Extra bases

Girardi wasn't amused by four fans, including a streaker, who ran on the field Saturday. "I think the penalties have to be severe," he said. "It shouldn't happen." . . . Phil Hughes threw off a mound Sunday for the second time in three days. He'll just play catch Monday and Tuesday before throwing off a mound Wednesday, and he could throw live BP this weekend in Anaheim.