Yankees activate Joba Chamberlain for game against Orioles

Joba Chamberlain pulled into the parking lot in Trenton Monday afternoon, ready to make his second rehab appearance in Double-A. Less than two hours later, he was in the Yankees dugout.

The reliever was activated by the Yankees shortly before last night's game, but he did not make his first appearance in more than a year.

"You're expected to go to Trenton and pitch and go in and next thing you know they're telling you to turn around," said Chamberlain, who got the call to come back to the Bronx while pulling into the parking lot. "I guess it's a way my career has gone: fast and not really knowing what's going to happen. I guess I wouldn't have it any other way."

Chamberlain, who had been on the disabled list as he recovered from Tommy John surgery and a right ankle dislocation, was activated after the Yankees traded reliever Chad Qualls to Pittsburgh for infielder Casey McGehee.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he was told by trainers there was no reason to not activate Chamberlain, who struck out three in a scoreless 1 1/3 innings in Trenton on Sunday in his seventh rehab appearance.

Chamberlain, 26, last pitched in the majors on June 5, 2011. He underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery about 14 months ago, then suffered a severe dislocation of his right ankle near the end of March while playing on a trampoline with his son. He allowed one earned run on a home run and struck out 10 in 9 1/3 innings in his seven rehab appearances.

"We're going to have a better idea when he gets here," manager Joe Girardi said of how comfortable he would have been using Chamberlain Tuesday night. "He threw the ball well. There are times that guys will go on rehab and they've been in the big leagues for a while and they get hit around a little bit and it's just not the same intensity level.

"I think Joba took it pretty serious and threw pretty well. We're pretty pleased with what he did."

Afterward, Girardi said he did not want to use Chamberlain during the 11-5 loss to the Orioles, looking ahead to possibly using him for multiple innings in Wednesday's series finale.

Chamberlain made his first rehab appearance on July 10 in Bradenton, Fla., where he had three appearances. He had three more for Class-A Tampa before Sunday's game in Trenton, when he threw 30 pitches, 23 for strikes, and reached 97 mph with his fastball.

"It's been a tremendous 14 months in a lot of ways," Chamberlain said. "Obviously honored to be able to be back here and help this team but there's so much I learned along the way. I was more nervous now, today, than I was when I got called up. It's nice to have those feelings again."

The flame-throwing reliever said there will be no "easing" him back into things.

"It's going to be all-go and that's the way I want it," Chamberlain said. "I don't want any, I dare to even say Joba Rules. I don't want any of that . . . Hopefully whatever the situation arises, just to be able to be in the bullpen to help those guys is something I'm really looking forward to."