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Chamberlain to make rotation debut vs. Blue Jays

Jun 3, 2008 - 12:54 PM Toronto (31-28) at NY Yankees (28-29) 7:05 pm EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) - Rookie righthander Joba Chamberlain will make his first major league start Tuesday when they New York Yankees host the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series.

Chamberlain's role on the team has been the source of much debate in the press and on talk radio, but the Yankees have maintained that it was their plan all along to turn the 22-year-old righthander into a starter at some point this season.

A starter his entire college career and in his first season in the minors in 2007, New York began Chamberlain in the bullpen this season as a way to keep his innings down. He totaled just 112 1/3 between the minors and the Yankees bullpen in 2007.

Chamberlain (1-2, 2.28 ERA) is still in the process of being stretched out to start and therefore will be limited to about 75 pitches against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. He has made six relief appearances in his career against Toronto, allowing three hits and an unearned run while striking out 14 and walking five in nine total innings.

The Yankees will need a good effort from both Chamberlain and the bullpen to pull back up to .500 after losing two straight to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday and Monday.

Toronto will turn to its ace, Roy Halladay, in an effort to snap a two-game skid. The Blue Jays had won eight of nine before dropping two straight to the Oakland Athletics over the weekend.

Halladay has earned the win in his last two starts, allowing a total of two runs and 12 hits in 17 innings while striking out 14 and issuing just one walk. The veteran righthander is 10-5 with a 3.03 ERA in 27 games - 25 starts - in his career against New York.