The most effective pitcher for the Yankees Friday night was not really a pitcher. DeWayne Wise, outfielder by trade, faced two batters and retired them both in mop-up duty in a 14-7 loss to the White Sox. Manager Joe Girardi explained that he did not want to use Rafael Soriano or David Robertson or Cody Eppley in that situation and that Wise “was really my last guy.”

Wise had not stepped on a mound since his high school days in the mid-1990s back in Chapin, S.C. He said he threw only fastballs. The radar gun had him between 82 and 86 miles per hour, which is pretty fair velocity for a non-pitcher.

Wise became the Yankees’ first position player to pitch in a game since fellow outfielder Nick Swisher threw a scoreless inning April 13, 2009 in a 15-5 loss to the Rays at St. Petersburg, Fla.

It was 44 seasons ago that a Yankees position player last pitched in a home game. Gene Michael, then a shortstop and currently the club’s senior vice president and special adviser, pitched three innings in a 10-2 loss to the Angels in the second game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. “Stick” gave up five runs and five with no walks, a hit batter and three strikeouts. None of the runs against him was earned because of an error by shortstop Ruben Amaro, father of the current general manager of the Phillies. Michael also drove in one of the Yankees’ runs that game with a single in his only at-bat. He did not play in the first game.

The Yankees are playing musical chairs with their pitching staff these days. Adam Warren, who gave up six earned runs and eight hits, including two home runs, in 2 1/3 innings Friday night in his major-league debut, was optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as the Yankees recalled pitcher D.J. Mitchell from the Triple A affiliate. Mitchell, a righthander, was 5-4 with a 5.36 ERA in 14 starts but will be used out of the bullpen. David Phelps, who took over for Warren Friday night and ended up with the losing decision, will start Wednesday night at St. Pete.

Yankees fans got a pre-game treat Saturday as Tom Coughlin, head coach of the Super Bowl champion Giants, accompanied by his four grandchildren, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

With temperatures in the mid- to high-90s this weekend, the Yankees implemented hydration stations inside the Stadium at the following locations: 100 Level-Gate 4, Gate 6 and Gate 2; 200 Level-Sect. 210 and Sect 234; 300 Level-Sect 309 and Sect 330; Bleachers-Sect 237. Additionally, cooling stations will be located at Sect. 128, Sect. 221 and Sect. 320.