The New York Yankees (1-3) will get one of their myriad injured stars back Saturday afternoon, when Phil Hughes takes the hill against the Detroit Tigers (2-2) after battling bulging disks in his back throughout spring training. It will be shown on FOX, broadcast on WCBS 880 AM, and can be live streamed here, here for a fee with better quality video here.
The injury-riddled Bronx Bombers have gotten off to a slow start in 2013, while the Tigers got back on track Friday afternoon with an 8-3 thumping led by first baseman Prince Fielder.
Fielder, who was off to a rocky start leading into yesterday's game, belted two home runs, and barely missed a third when he was robbed at the wall by former Tiger Brennan Boesch. The second homer was of the go-ahead, three-run variety in the fifth inning that erased a 3-2 deficit and transformed it into a 5-3 lead. Fielder was 2-for-4 for the afternoon, with the two home runs and five RBI.
Following his outburst at the plate, Fielder said, "I knew I was getting close."
For the Yankees, there have been some bright spots despite their struggles. Former nemesis Kevin Youkilis has been filling in nicely at third base for the injured Alex Rodriguez, and is batting a healthy .375 with one home run and two RBI in his first four games with the Yankees.
New designated hitter Travis Hafner has also been able to provide what the Yankees brought him in for-power against right-handed pitching. He's batting .308 with one home run and has posted an .896 on base plus slugging percentage.
Hughes is taking the hill for the first time since leaving Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Tigers with back trouble. He will be opposed by the fire-balling Max Scherzer, who was second in the American League last year in strikeouts (231) and tops in strikeouts per nine innings (11).
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