Burnett or Hughes could lose starting role with Yankees

The New York Yankees have decided six pitchers in their starting rotation is one too many, manager Joe Girardi said on Thursday.

"We feel we need to get it down to a five-man rotation and go with it," Girardi told Major League Baseball's website (www.mlb.com).

The decision could leave either A.J. Burnett or Phil Hughes in a reduced role.

Burnett has not won a game in seven starts since late June, going 0-3 with a hefty 6.0 earned run average (ERA). The right-hander (8-9 overall) gave up four runs in one inning on Tuesday in an eventual loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Hughes, another right-hander, is 2-3 with a 4.55 ERA in six games, five of them starts, since returning from the disabled list in July. He won 18 games in 2010 but is 2-4 this season.

There is only one spot open in a five-man rotation because the previous odd-man out, Ivan Nova, apparently has pitched well enough recently to earn a starting spot with CC Sabathia, Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia.

Nova is unbeaten in three starts since coming back to the big leagues in late July.

He won a starting job in spring training and went 8-4 before being demoted to the minor leagues. He is 11-4 for the season.