Hughes, Nova competing for rotation spot

CHICAGO -- It wouldn't be right to say Phil Hughes is pitching for his rotation spot Tuesday night.

But it wouldn't be entirely inaccurate, either.

The Yankees, as expected, decided to go with a six-man rotation this week. Hughes will pitch tonight, with A.J. Burnett going tomorrow night and Ivan Nova on Thursday night against the White Sox.

Bartolo Colon will throw the opening game of a three-game series in Boston on Friday night, followed by CC Sabathia on Saturday afternoon and Freddy Garcia on Sunday night.

Joe Girardi said the purpose of a six-man rotation is more to get extra days off for veterans Colon and Garcia, but he didn't deny there is a competition between Nova and Hughes, with one perhaps going to the bullpen when the Yankees return to a five-man rotation.

"Competition is good, that's a good thing," Girardi said. "I think it brings out the best in people so I think they're both working hard, they're going about their business and approaching the games the way they need to approach them."

Hughes, 1-3 with an 8.24 ERA -- including 1-2, 5.48 since returning from the disabled list July 5 -- said his approach needs to better resemble what led to past success. "I want to be more aggressive, attack the zone a little bit more, get back to what I had success doing when I was in the bullpen [in 2009] and the early parts of last year," Hughes said. "Which was having no fear out there and just letting it go."

Girardi said he wouldn't rule out staying with a six-man rotation a second time through, though with Burnett and Sabathia especially rigid about wanting to take their regular turns, that's unlikely. Making it more unlikely is that Monday is a day off. "We'll see how it works,'' Girardi said, "but it's not in my plans."

As far as Nova or Hughes going to the bullpen is concerned, Girardi said, "That's always a possibility." He added, "But I'm not doing that to put any pressure on anyone to say, this start you need to [pitch well]. But we'll have to make some decisions after we go through the rotation this week . . . If they both throw the ball the way we want them to, then the decision's going to be difficult on what we do. Do you put one in the bullpen or keep one going as a starter knowing we have another split doubleheader coming up ? You have to prepare for those things, too."

In his last 10 Yankees starts, Nova is 6-1 with a 3.58 ERA. He was sent down July 3 to make room for Hughes and spent nearly a month with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but when he beat the Orioles on Saturday night, it gave him victories in his last five decisions for the Yankees.

"Nova's been really good," Girardi said.

Of Hughes, Girardi said, "I think it's too early to give up on Hughsie and say he's not going to be an effective starter for us."

Hughes said he doesn't feel more pressure for Tuesday night than usual. "There's pressure to pitch well every five days whatever the circumstances are," he said. "That won't be any different."

Hughes did acknowledge he would be "disappointed for sure" if he ended up in the bullpen.

"But I've always sort of been in the position where I'm willing to help this team in whatever way I can," he said. "But at this time it's not really something I'm thinking about."