New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi will announce his American League Division Series rotation on Tuesday and $82 million man A.J. Burnett is out, a baseball official with knowledge of the Yankees' thinking confirmed.
Girardi plans to use CC Sabathia for Game 1 against the Minnesota Twins and on short rest in Game 4. Andy Pettitte will be scheduled for Game 2 and would pitch on regular rest because of the off days before Game 5.
Phil Hughes will start Game 3 when the series moves from Minnesota to The Bronx.
The New York Post first reported the Yankees' planned playoff rotation in Tuesday's editions.
Girardi's news conference is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in Minnesota.
The move to leave out Burnett is not shocking, since Girardi mulled removing Burnett from the rotation during the second half of the season. General manager Brian Cashman has said the Yankees' postseason rotation would be based on merit, not money.
Burnett is completing the second season of an $82.5 million, five-year contract, but has not come close to living up to his salary this season, in which he was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA.
Last October, with the Yankees down a game in the World Series, Burnett won Game 2. Overall, he was inconsistent in the 2009 playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Twins plan on starting Francisco Liriano in Game 1, former Yankee Carl Pavano in Game 2, Brian Duensing in Game 3 and Nick Blackburn in Game 4.
