Yankees alter pitching rotation for doubleheader

After their 16-inning contest against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, the Yankees altered their pitching rotation prior to Sunday's doubleheader. The team announced that CC Sabathia is now scheduled to start Game 1. As originally planned, Masahiro Tanaka will take the mound in the second game of the doubleheader.

Pitching Change: LHP CC Sabathia will now start Game 1 of tomorrow's doubleheader. RHP Masahiro Tanaka will start Game 2.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) July 16, 2017

With rosters expanding to 26 players for doubleheaders, the plan was for Bryan Mitchell to be called-up to start the afternoon game. Mitchell is still expected to receive a call-up, but will now serve as a long reliever. Sabathia struggled in his first start off the disabled list on July 4, only lasting 2.2 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees are hopeful that the 36-year-old can get back on track and provide a quality start on Sunday. In addition to Mitchell's call-up, it's likely that the club will make some roster moves prior to Sunday's games. With the club using seven relief pitchers on Saturday, the team could elect to add some fresh arms to the roster. The Yankees are currently 3.5 games behind the Red Sox in the American League East Division. They look to close the gap on the division lead, and can do so by taking the final two games of the series. Make sure you keep up with the Bronx Pinstripes team for all the latest news and updates regarding the New York Yankees. We will continue to update you on any roster moves that occur prior to the start of the doubleheader.