Andy Pettitte Progressing Towards Return
New York Yankees ace Andy Pettitte took a huge step towards his return from a groin injury by pitching a simulated inning before the Yankees/Red Sox game on Monday.
Pettitte threw 20 pitches in the simulated inning, not feeling any pain. If Pettitte continues not to feel pain, he said he will report to the Yankees’ minor-league complex in Tampa Bay to pitch a simulated game.
“Today was good," he said. "I pushed it and now I'm going to continue the process.”
Pettitte threw warm-up pitches and took a five-minute break before pitching the simulated inning, copying the same habits he would carry out for a game. He said he felt some fatigue from pushing it, but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.
The only concern for him in his simulated inning was his arm-stamina. He felt no pain in his injured groin, but he will need at least one minor-league rehab assignment before returning to the Yankees starting rotation.
"I'm not going to come back here [too quickly] and do something stupid," he said. "If I don't feel comfortable in a rehab start or whatever I'll take an extra one because I don't want to aggravate this further or hurt this further.”
The Yankees will be very happy to have the 38-year-old back in their rotation. He is enjoying one of the best seasons of his 16-year career. He is 11-2 in eighteen starts with a 2.88 ERA and was named to the All-Star team.
Pettitte will also be very valuable down the stretch and the playoffs for the Yankees. He has proven year after year his ability to pitch well in clutch games and is one of the league’s premier pitchers. His return will come soon and who knows how good the Yankees will be in the final stretch of the season?
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