NEW YORK -- Bryan Mitchell's excellent spring had earned him a place on the Yankees' Opening Day roster before a fractured left big toe cost him most of the season, but the right-hander is about to receive his chance to contribute to their postseason push.
The Yankees recalled Mitchell from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, and the Yankees will start the 25-year-old on Wednesday against the Blue Jays in place of injured right-hander Chad Green.
"Your hope is that he gives you a really good start and we can leave him in that role, but we'll just see where he's at," manager Joe Girardi said.
Mitchell's last Minor League outing came on Friday for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Buffalo, throwing 91 pitches over 5 1/3 innings while holding the Blue Jays' top affiliate to a run and four hits. Mitchell walked none and struck out six.
"My last start has been my best one so far," Mitchell said. "So if there's any time, it's right now in my mind, because I'm fresh [and] coming off a good start."
General manager Brian Cashman said Green is likely done for the season. The rookie was diagnosed with a sprained right ulnar collateral ligament and a strained flexor tendon after being forced to leave in the second inning of Friday's loss to the Orioles.
Girardi said the Yankees have not locked Mitchell in to take Green's spot in the rotation moving forward; they also will consider using right-hander Luis Severino, who struggled in nine starts this year (0-8, 8.58 ERA) but has fired 11 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run in five relief appearances.
Mitchell appeared in 20 games for the Yanks last season, posting a 6.37 ERA in 18 relief appearances and two starts.
"Right now, I'm just trying to get us wins in any way," Mitchell said. "If they want me to start, I'm going to plead my best case I can. But it's all about the team right now and getting wins. I'm just trying to keep pitching well."
The Yankees also recalled left-hander James Pazos from Triple-A on Tuesday. Pazos has not pitched in a Major League game this season. The 25-year-old threw five scoreless innings over 11 appearances in 2015.
Worth noting
Due to expanded rosters, the Yankees did not necessarily have to place outfielder Aaron Hicks on the 15-day disabled list, but general manager Brian Cashman said they opted to do so anyway. Hicks was injured running to first base on Aug. 31 against the Royals in Kansas City.
"If they're down for 15 [games] or more, you might as well capture it; book it for what it is," Cashman said. "I don't need it administratively, but if he's down for more than 15, why not? It's a fact. Book the fact."
Aaron Judge entered play on Tuesday with four hits in his last 47 at-bats (.085), with one homer, five RBIs and 29 strikeouts over that span. Cashman said Judge remains the Yanks' best option in right field because of Hicks' injury.
"If Aaron Hicks were up and running, you might see some different things happening," Cashman said.