Phil Hughes' Future Is Rather Uncertain

After the Yankees' season ended, manager Joe Girardi said there were only two guarantees for their rotation next season: Joba Chamberlain and Chien-Ming Wang. Now it’s December and that is just as true as when he first said it.

It is a totally different story from one year ago when the Bombers penciled Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy into the rotation after resisting trading them for Johan Santana. Today, they are making offers and are looking into acquiring pitchers like CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Derek Lowe to keep from making the same mistake again.

In an interview with the Daily News, Hughes himself was unsure what the future holds for him.

 

“It’s just one of those wait-and-see things,” Hughes said from his family’s Southern California home. “We’ll sign whoever we sign this winter, and I’ll go to spring training with the same attitude that I always do. I don’t worry about the things I can’t control.”

 

It appears the Yankees would prefer to sign three free agents and let Hughes compete for a spot as a sixth starter. Even if they were able to add three free agents, including Andy Pettitte, he has competition. Alfredo Aceves showed he could be a major leaguer. Phil Coke also will get an opportunity to prove himself, and there is always Ian Kennedy.

 

Hughes realizes that he must improve or get held back and is working to improve his game. After finishing the season with less than 100 innings pitched, he went to the AFL to work on some things.

 

“I was there for the innings, but at the same time, I didn’t want to go out and get walloped every time I took the mound,” Hughes said. “I worked on some things, got my innings in and was pretty successful at the same time."

 

“My slider wasn’t working at all,” Hughes said. “I worked a lot this fall on my cutter and my changeup, and both have come a long way.”

 

 

This article originally appeared at the Bronx Baseball Daily.