Nova to return from Minors to start Sunday

NEW YORK -- After three stellar starts for Triple-A Scranton, Ivan Nova is returning to the Yankees' rotation.

Nova was scratched from his scheduled start for the RailRiders on Friday, and the right-hander will pitch for the Bombers in Sunday's series finale against the Rays.

"That is our plan, as of right now," manager Joe Girardi said after Friday's 6-2 win over Tampa Bay.

Phil Hughes would have likely been slated to pitch the finale against the Rays, but his Tuesday start against the Dodgers was postponed until Wednesday's doubleheader, meaning he and Hiroki Kuroda would only be on three days' rest.

Nova is 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts for Scranton, allowing just 15 hits over 15 2/3 innings while striking out 17. He was 2-1 with a 5.12 ERA in six starts with the Yankees earlier this season.

Girardi said before Friday's game that Nova was fully stretched out as a starter again.

"He's been pretty good. He's had some decent outings," Girardi said. "At times he's been dominating down there, and at times he's lost the zone a little bit. But his stuff's been pretty good."