Inclement weather puts Pettitte's return on hold

NEW YORK -- Andy Pettitte has had enough of talking about his return to big league duty. At this point, the Yankees left-hander just can't wait to get back on the mound.

Pettitte was scheduled to face the Blue Jays on Tuesday, his first game action since suffering a fractured left ankle on June 27, but his start was pushed back until Wednesday afternoon by inclement weather.

"I ain't gonna lie to you, I'm tired of talking about it," Pettitte said in front of his Yankee Stadium locker. "I just want to go out there and pitch, and hopefully give this team a chance to win that ballgame [Wednesday], and move forward from there."

The Yankees will play a day-night, separate-admission doubleheader with the Blue Jays on Wednesday. Pettitte opted to take the ball for the 1:05 p.m. ET game, which will mark the end of the 40-year-old's 10-week layoff.

"With Andy, you kind of give him his choice of which one he wants to throw," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "That was the process. He usually likes to throw the first game."

Henderson Alvarez will start for the Blue Jays in the first game of the doubleheader, opposite Pettitte, who expects to throw about 70 pitches in his start.

"I mean, really, I'm good," Pettitte said. "I'm just ready to get out there. It's all about mechanics out there and getting into a good rhythm, stuff like that, so I think all that's going to be fine."

The game originally scheduled for Sept. 19 remains slated for a 7:05 p.m. start.

Girardi said that right-hander David Phelps will be pressed into starting duty for New York under the lights, with Ricky Romero announced as the starter for Toronto.

The Yankees have no remaining off-days on their schedule, so Phelps will start in place of Phil Hughes, who instead will pitch Thursday's game against Toronto to avoid bumping him up against Pettitte the next turn through the rotation.

"He's pitched very well as a starter for us," Girardi said of Phelps. "Another thing is, by doing it [Wednesday], you get him back in the bullpen sooner."

Fans holding paid tickets for Tuesday's game may use them for the rescheduled game or exchange their paid tickets for any regular-season game at Yankee Stadium during the 2012 or '13 season (subject to availability).

Fans holding Complimentary tickets (COMP) for Tuesday's game must use them for the rescheduled game on Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. Complimentary tickets (COMP) or equivalent tickets bear no cash value and do not have any additional benefits that may be offered to ticket(s) with a dollar value.

For complete information about the Yankees' rainout policy, please visit yankees.com/rainout.

This marks the first game postponed at Yankee Stadium during the 2012 season. Girardi said the split doubleheader may force him to change how he manages his club for the day.

"It's a long day for the guys and you're not going to play some of the guys two games," Girardi said. "You probably physically can't do that. We're in a stretch where they're going to go 15 days in a row, so you have to be smart about that. A lot of guys are going to play [Wednesday]."